Echoing Flames: Rising Storm
by TheShadowedWarrior
Summary: With Tigerclaw gone, Fireheart is the new deputy of ThunderClan now. However, despite the plentiful greenleaf season, things are far from peaceful. Fireheart is forced to deal with his conflicting emotions about Bluestar, continuing Cinderpaw's training, and the knowledge that there's a murderer loose in the forest.
1. Dreams and Memories

**Welcome to the fourth installment of my ****_Echoing Flames _****AU! Yeah...I really need to think of a better introduction. **

**Anyway, as always, I don't own Warriors.**

* * *

_ Firekit raced about the camp, chasing after the ball of moss Rosetail had given him to play with. He finally caught it, pouncing on the toy and sending several leaves flying into the air. It was nearly sunhigh, and Bluestar was busy discussing something with Redtail, so she had left him to entertain himself while she was taking care of her leader duties. She was standing nearby, however, so Firekit could still see her. He liked that about his mother. She never strayed too far out of his line of sight. _

_As he tumbled in front of the warriors' den, he heard a rustling sound coming from the entrance. Pausing in his game, Firekit glanced over towards the den, only to be met with the most horrifying sight he'd ever seen during his short life. _

_A massive cat, bigger even than his mother, was looming over him. He had spiky gray and white fur, and his pelt was covered in scars. His yellow eyes were glaring balefully down at Firekit, and his mouth was twisted into a sneer. _

_Firekit squealed in terror and raced towards Bluestar as fast as his tiny legs would carry him. The sound of his screams must have reached her, for she paused in her conversation with Redtail and turned to look at him. He pressed himself against her leg, trying in vain to get his body to stop shaking. _

_"Firekit? What's the matter?" Bluestar asked, licking the kit's head gently to comfort him. _

_"There's a scary evil demon cat in the camp! He was sleeping in the warriors' den!" Firekit cried. "I saw him come out. He was all big and spiky and scarred, and his face was so _ugly_!" _

_"Bluestar," a new voice growled. "Would it be too much to ask of you to keep your disgusting spawn away from the warriors' den and in the nursery where it belongs?"_

_Dread filled Firekit at the sound of the strange voice. He peered out from behind his mother's leg. Sure enough, the massive cat was there, standing in front of Bluestar with the same sneer on his face. _

_"That's him! That's the demon cat!" he cried, hiding behind Bluestar again. "Mama, make him disappear! Tell him to go away!" _

_"_Excuse_ me?" The demon cat no longer sounded angry, just extremely affronted. Meanwhile, Bluestar's expression suggested that she was barely keeping herself from laughing. _

_"That's not an evil demon cat, darling," she told him. "That's...Thistleclaw."_

* * *

Fireheart opened his eyes as the first rays of sunlight began to seep into the warriors' den. He yawned and stretched as he climbed out of his nest, careful not to disturb any of his Clanmates. Beside him, Ravenflight twitched ever so slightly, but the skinny black tom remained fast asleep. Slowly, Fireheart padded out of the warriors' den and headed over to the fresh-kill pile, the voices from his dream still ringing in his ears.

One moon had passed since Tigerclaw had been exiled and Fireheart had become Clan deputy in his place. Ever since that day, the ginger tom's dreams had been plagued with memories of his time in ThunderClan as a kit.

_Why do you keep showing me these memories? _he asked, not entirely sure who he was talking to. _Isn't it enough that I can never get that life back? How much longer are you going to make a mockery of me until you're finally satisfied? _

Even his waking hours didn't bring any relief. During the day, Fireheart was forced to use his deputy duties to distract him from the constant looks of sadness from Bluestar and the reproachful glares from Whitestorm. The ThunderClan leader had kept true to her promise of not forcing Fireheart to discuss their issues, but it was clear that her decision was hurting her. Yet somehow, Fireheart couldn't bring himself to take her up on her offer and talk things over with his mother.

The strange thing was, it wasn't even that he didn't want to talk to her anymore. As much as he tried to deny it, Fireheart had to admit that part of him _did _want to hear Bluestar's side of the story if only to get a bit of closure on the matter. But he couldn't bring himself to go through with it, for there was still another part of him that wasn't interested in hearing anything she had to say.

_I want to listen to her, yet I don't want to listen to her. I want her to be my mother again, yet I also don't want anything to do with her anymore. What, in the name of StarClan, am I supposed to do? _

The truth was, he was frightened. Not of talking to Bluestar, of course; he knew that she would receive him with warmth no matter what. It was the thought of what she would say to him if he asked her to explain what had happened that caused his hesitation. His biggest fear was that he would find out that Thistleclaw had been telling the truth after all, that Bluestar had never really loved him and that the sadness she had carried with her for so long would turn out to be nothing more than a ploy to make him look like a pathetic fool.

Suddenly losing his appetite, Fireheart turned away from the fresh-kill pile and headed for the gorse tunnel. He had organized the day's patrols the night before, which gave him some free time to himself. Slowly, without any clear direction in mind, Fireheart padded out of the camp and into the forest. All around him, he could hear the sound of prey scurrying about, but for once in his life, he wasn't interested in hunting. A mouse raced across his path, but the ginger tom made no attempt to chase after it.

_Run while you can, little mouse, _he thought bitterly. _A hunting patrol will find you sooner or later, so you might as well enjoy your last few hours of happiness. You should consider yourself lucky; at least your life is easy and your death will be over within a heartbeat. _

Fireheart laughed bitterly to himself. He was jealous of a _mouse_, for StarClan's sake. How pathetic had his life become?

He wasn't entirely aware of where he was going, but somehow, he managed to stumble upon the RiverClan border. For a few heartbeats, Fireheart stared across the border at the territory where he knew two of Bluestar's kits–his half-siblings–lived. Did Mistyfoot and Stonefur suspect anything strange about Bluestar? After all, they were practically carbon copies of her.

In another life, maybe they could have grown up as siblings. If Bluestar had only kept Mistyfoot and Stonefur, as well as whoever the kit that had died was, Fireheart could have grown up with three older siblings. Instead, however, she had chosen to abandon her children in order to become Clan deputy, and now there was no chance of that ever happening. In fact, he would be lucky if Mistyfoot and Stonefur ever found out he _was _their brother. Fireheart didn't understand how she could make that sort of decision. Why would any mother choose their Clan over her kits?

"Fireheart? Is that you?"

Fireheart spun around to see Graystripe staring at him from the opposite bank. The flame-pelted warrior tensed, waiting to feel the familiar rush of anger, but his hackles remained flat. He couldn't bring himself to care about his ex-best friend's betrayal anymore.

"Graystripe," he meowed indifferently. "You look well. How are things in RiverClan?"

"Could be better, actually," the gray warrior replied. "The river was poisoned, and we couldn't eat the fish so we had to eat land prey instead. Crookedstar had me teach the Clan how to hunt on dry ground. But some of the RiverClan warriors didn't want to give up their fish. Blackclaw was one of them–he died after eating a poisoned trout."

"I see," Fireheart meowed. Deciding to change the subject, he continued, "Sandstorm told me that Silverstream was expecting when she saw her at the last Gathering. Have your kits arrived yet?"

Graystripe puffed up his chest proudly. "Yes, they have. Two strong kits, one tom, and one molly. Their names are Stormkit and Featherkit."

"Congratulations," Fireheart replied, sincerely for once. "Well, I should get going. I don't want to waste too much time. See you around another time, I suppose."

Without waiting for Graystripe's response, he turned and headed back deeper into his own territory. It had been a shock to run into his former Clanmate after so many moons, and even more shocking to realize that he wasn't angry with him anymore. Then again, he supposed it shouldn't have come as a surprise. With everything that had happened recently, he didn't have time to worry about Graystripe's personal life.

Seeing how proud Graystripe was of his kits, Fireheart couldn't help wondering if his own father had felt the same way about him. If he had, did he still feel that way now? Had Thrushpelt abandoned him as well, or did he not even know what Bluestar had done?

There were so many questions that Fireheart wanted to be answered, but he couldn't summon up the courage to ask any of them.

* * *

**Fireheart, you're stupid. Some of you might recognize the dream from a story I wrote on my Tumblr account. I revised it a little, but it's more or less the same one. **

**And yes, Blackclaw is dead. Let's throw a party. **

**-TheShadowedWarrior**


	2. Training and Drama

Soon, Fireheart had another thing occupying his mind.

A few days after his surprise encounter with Graystripe at the RiverClan border, Longtail approached him as he was sharing a thrush with Sandstorm and informed him that he wanted to give Swiftpaw his warrior assessment.

"Are you sure?" Fireheart asked, looking up at the pale tabby. Although Swiftpaw's skills had improved, he was still lagging behind in his training.

"Of course," Longtail snapped, his fur bristling as though the ThunderClan deputy had just insulted him. "Swiftpaw is more than ready. He's been making improvements; surely you must realize that as well?"

"I never said he hadn't been," Fireheart retorted calmly. "But just because he's improved doesn't mean he's ready to become a warrior. He still has a lot that he needs to work on. You can't force Swiftpaw to take his warrior assessment before he's ready just because you're afraid that the other apprentices will become warriors before him."

Longtail's hackles raised and for a moment, the ginger tom thought he would slash his claws at his face. Instead, however, the pale tabby warrior simple settled for curling his lip into a sneer.

"And I suppose you think _you _know all about what makes an apprentice worthy, don't you?" he snarled. "You might be the deputy now, Fireheart, but you don't get to tell me that my apprentice isn't good enough. I _will _be giving him his assessment, and I'd like to see you try to stop me."

"As you wish," Fireheart replied indifferently. There was no point in trying to argue with Longtail in this state. "But if Swiftpaw fails his assessment, don't say I didn't warn you. Have him take the route from Tallpines to Snakerocks, and then to Sunningrocks."

"Fine," Longtail replied, tossing his head and stalking off. "Then maybe you'll see that my apprentice isn't as pathetic as you think."

Fireheart just shook his head and took another bite out of the thrush. Ever since the battle against the rogues, Longtail had been in a noticeably uptight mood, particularly when it came to Swiftpaw. He seemed to take the slightest bit of criticism as a personal insult, even when it wasn't coming from Fireheart. Fireheart suspected that the tabby warrior was simply combining his lingering embarrassment over being called out for his poor mentoring skills with the pain of losing his only friends and taking his frustrations out on his Clanmates.

"You know," he meowed, turning to Sandstorm. "Speaking of apprentices, it must almost be time for Ashkit and Fernkit to receive mentors."

"That's true," Sandstorm agreed, finishing off the last of the thrush and swiping her tongue over her jaws. "Are you going to talk to Bluestar about which warriors to choose?"

"Actually, I needed to talk to you about that first," Fireheart answered. "I wanted to give Dustpelt one of Brindleface's kits to mentor, but you would need to resume training Thornpaw if that were to happen. Do you think the kits are strong enough that they can afford to be without you for a few hours every day?"

"Of course," Sandstorm purred, looking delighted at the thought of being able to resume warrior duties again. "They're old enough to eat fresh-kill now, so they don't need my milk. And Goldenflower and Speckletail can always keep them entertained while I'm busy with Thornpaw."

"Excellent," Fireheart purred, giving the ginger queen's ear a swift lick. "I'll tell Dustpelt and Thornpaw the news, then."

Sandstorm nodded, then meowed, "But who will you choose to mentor Brindleface's other kit?"

Fireheart paused for a moment, trying to think of which cats hadn't been given apprentices yet. He, Ravenflight, Longtail, Sandstorm, and Runningwind were all out of the question, and Dustpelt would be as well since he would be taking one of Brindleface's kits. Goldenflower, Willowpelt, and Speckletail were in the nursery, and although Brindleface would be rejoining the warriors, Fireheart didn't think it was a good idea for her to mentor one of her own children. Not that he thought mothers couldn't mentor their children, of course. He simply thought that Brindleface wouldn't be a suitable mentor for Ashkit or Fernkit. She had always been gentle with them–not that he blamed her, considering two of her other kits had died–and he worried that it would affect her ability to mentor properly. The Clan didn't need another situation like the one with Longtail and Swiftpaw.

Then again, Bluestar had trained him, so perhaps he shouldn't talk.

_Mousefur would make a good mentor, _Fireheart mused. The dusky brown molly was a strong hunter and a decent fighter, and besides, her brother, Runningwind, was mentoring Brackenpaw. He would be finished with his training well before Ashkit or Fernkit, but Fireheart knew that Mousefur would be more than happy to have a chance to be mentors alongside her littermate. _Yes, _he decided, _Mousefur it is, then. _

"Have you figured it out?" Sandstorm asked.

"I have," Fireheart answered. "Mousefur and Dustpelt. I'll give Fernpaw to Dustpelt and Ashpaw to Mousefur."

"Sounds good," his mate purred. "I'll tell Brindleface the news. You're doing a wonderful job as deputy, Fireheart."

Fireheart felt his fur prickle with embarrassment and barely managed to mumble out an extremely incoherent thanks. Sandstorm's green eyes sparkled with a mixture of amusement and love, and he took the opportunity to dismiss himself while he still had some semblance of dignity left. He could face down an entire horde of enemy warriors, but it seemed as though he still hadn't learned how to take a compliment yet.

He spotted Dustpelt and Thornpaw entering the camp, both looking worn out. _Perfect. _

"Dustpelt, Thornpaw," Fireheart called over. The two toms glanced over and padded in his direction.

"Fireheart," Dustpelt greeted his friend, dipping his head respectfully. "Is there something you need from us?"

"I just wanted to tell you that you're going to be mentoring Fernkit," Fireheart told him before turning to Thornpaw. "And Thornpaw, Sandstorm is going to resume your training again."

"Great!" Thornpaw meowed excitedly. "I can't wait to show her how much I've learned."

"That eager to be rid of me, are you?" Dustpelt meowed in mock hurt.

"Yeah, you're annoying," the golden-brown tom joked. Dustpelt just rolled his eyes and flicked the younger cat's ears fondly.

"Is that alright with you?" Fireheart asked, swallowing his own amusement at the interaction between his Clanmates.

"Of course," Dustpelt replied.

Fireheart nodded to his friend one last time before going off to find Mousefur. The dusky brown molly was sharing tongues with Runningwind and Frostfur on the opposite side of the camp. She looked up as Fireheart approached her, a curious expression in her eyes.

"Hello there, Fireheart," she meowed once he was within earshot. "Is there something you need? A patrol, maybe?"

"No, actually," Fireheart replied, wondering why it was that everyone automatically assumed he needed something whenever he came over to speak to them. "I was just going to let you know that you've been chosen to mentor Ashkit."

"Ashkit? Is it time for Brindleface's kits to have their apprentice ceremonies already?" Mousefur asked, looking surprised.

"Just about," Fireheart answered. "So, what do you say?"

"I'd be more than happy to," Mousefur meowed, beginning to look more and more pleased as the news sunk in. "Thanks, Fireheart."

Fireheart dipped his head in acknowledgment, then turned away from the group. Now that he had taken care of informing the new mentors of their upcoming responsibilities, he was faced with the task of telling Bluestar the news. Reluctantly, he padded across the camp to the Highrock, only to bump into Whitestorm as he was coming out of Bluestar's den.

"Don't go in there right now," the white warrior meowed by way of greeting. "I just tried to go in, but Bluestar's asleep."

"Is she? Ah, I won't bother her, then," Fireheart meowed, unable to push down a pang of relief. "I'll just take Cinderpaw out for a bit of training. But if she wakes up before we get back, do you mind passing on a message?"

"Sure," Whitestorm agreed. "What is it?"

"Brindleface's kits are ready to be apprenticed, so I'd like to have their ceremonies by tonight," Fireheart meowed. "I've chosen Dustpelt for Fernkit and Mousefur to mentor Ashkit."

"I'll let her know," Whitestorm promised.

"Thanks, Whitestorm. Oh, and one more thing," the deputy meowed. "Longtail took Swiftpaw out for his warrior assessment, but I don't think I'll be back with Cinderpaw in time to see the results. If you don't mind, could you let me know how Swiftpaw performs? I know I should be asking Longtail, but I'm not sure how much I trust his word."

"Understandable," the great white warrior meowed. "I'll be sure to let you know."

Fireheart nodded his thanks and turned to head over to Cinderpaw. His apprentice was lounging beside the mossy stump, a bored expression on her face that quickly morphed into excitement when she saw him coming.

"Are we going out?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, we are," Fireheart replied, and Cinderpaw purred happily. "What do you say we get a little battle training done today?"

"Sure!" Cinderpaw agreed enthusiastically, leaping to her paws and bounding off in the direction of the gorse tunnel. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Fireheart chuckled quietly at the dark gray molly's excitement and followed after his apprentice. It was nice to know that, despite everything that had happened, there were some things that never changed–even if it was Cinderpaw still being as wild and unruly as ever.

* * *

When they reached the sandy hollow, however, they soon realized that they weren't going to be alone. To Fireheart's surprise, Longtail and Swiftpaw were there, practicing a series of complex battle moves. When he saw Fireheart, Longtail sneered and turned away.

"I thought you were going to give Swiftpaw his warrior assessment," Fireheart meowed, ignoring his Clanmate's unfriendly greeting.

"I changed my mind," Longtail growled, still not looking the flame-pelted warrior in the eye. "Since you don't think Swiftpaw's good enough to become a warrior."

"Oh, just get over yourself. That's not what I said and you know it," Fireheart snapped, instantly running out of patience. "If you wanted to give Swiftpaw his warrior assessment, you could have done so. Stop throwing temper tantrums every time someone criticizes him. Honestly, it's no wonder Swiftpaw behaves the way he does! You're setting a bad example, Longtail, and unless you learn to grow up and start acting like a warrior instead of a pathetic kit, I'll have you know right now that you're well on your way to losing your apprentices. ThunderClan needs strong warriors, not immature, entitled, spoiled brats who need to be coddled. Now, if you're quite finished, I think Cinderpaw and Swiftpaw should have a training battle."

Longtail merely glared at him. Rolling his eyes, Fireheart turned to the two apprentices, who had settled themselves down to watch the interaction between their mentors. Cinderpaw looked gleeful, but Swiftpaw merely glared at Fireheart. The black and white apprentice clearly wasn't pleased about the fact that Fireheart had just lectured his mentor.

"Right," he meowed. "Now that we have all that out of the way, let's get down to business. Cinderpaw, Swiftpaw, you know the rules of a training battle, so I won't repeat them. Longtail and I will guide you through the battle, so be sure to listen to our commands. Got it?"

"Got it," Cinderpaw meowed. Swiftpaw just grunted, which Fireheart took to mean he understood.

"Good," Fireheart meowed. "Start at opposite ends of the hollow, then."

He moved to one side of the sandy hollow with Cinderpaw, while Longtail and Swiftpaw walked over to the opposite end. The two apprentices stared each other down, each waiting for the other to strike. Even without her injury, Fireheart knew that Swiftpaw was still considerably faster than Cinderpaw, so beating him in a speed battle was out of the question. Since Cinderpaw had been made an apprentice early, that meant Swiftpaw also had the advantage of size.

_Then we'll just have to figure out a way to use those things against him, _the flame-colored tom thought.

"If you won't get started, then we will! Swiftpaw, charge towards Cinderpaw as fast as you can!" Longtail hissed.

"Cinderpaw, wait until the last second, then duck and kick," Fireheart ordered.

Cinderpaw nodded and tensed her muscles, waiting as her denmate began charging towards her. At the last possible second, Swiftpaw leaped and Cinderpaw took the opportunity to duck underneath him. With as much strength as she could summon, she lifted her back legs and kicked at his stomach, sending him halfway across the hollow. Swiftpaw staggered to his paws, looking winded, but he quickly regained himself.

"Well done, Cinderpaw," Fireheart meowed approvingly.

"Swiftpaw, don't you dare let her beat you! Attack again!" Longtail yowled.

"Wait until the last second like you did last time, then dodge to the right," Fireheart meowed to Cinderpaw.

Swiftpaw charged towards Cinderpaw again. Just as Fireheart had ordered, however, Cinderpaw remained perfectly still. The black and white tom leaped at her, and at the last possible heartbeat, she jumped to the right. Unable to change direction in time, Swiftpaw crashed to the ground with an unceremonious thump.

They continued this way for some time, with Swiftpaw charging at Cinderpaw and Cinderpaw remaining still and then flinging him away or dodging at the last second. As time went on, it became clear to everyone what Fireheart's plan was. By having Cinderpaw remain in one place, Fireheart was forcing Swiftpaw to spend extra energy in order to reach his opponent. Soon, he was panting with exhaustion while Cinderpaw still looked relatively fresh.

"Now, Cinderpaw! Send him flying before he can recover," Fireheart hissed when Swiftpaw was a little too slow to get back to his feet.

Cinderpaw nodded and, using her front paws, flung Swiftpaw high into the air. He didn't go very far, but from the grunt he let out when he landed, it was clear that the impact had stunned him. Fireheart signaled with his tail for Cinderpaw to remain still, waiting to see if Swiftpaw would get up.

"Swiftpaw, get up!" Longtail snapped, and at last, the apprentice managed to get back on his paws. He glared at Fireheart. "That was a dirty move!"

"No, it wasn't. Maybe you should learn to train your apprentice better," Fireheart retorted coolly.

Longtail growled. "Swiftpaw, attack Cinderpaw and pin her down! Then finish this battle like _no _other battle has been finished before!"

"You know what to do, Cinderpaw," Fireheart meowed simply.

Swiftpaw rushed towards Cinderpaw one last time, but it was clear that he had lost too much energy. His pace was noticeably slower than before, and it was only too easy for Cinderpaw to dodge out of the way. He landed with a soft thump, his sides heaving with exhaustion.

"This battle is finished," Fireheart meowed. Longtail glared at him.

"It's not finished until I say it's finished!" he snarled.

"Longtail, you might not like me, but that does not give you the right to defy me," Fireheart meowed warningly. "If I say the battle is finished, it means it's finished."

Longtail's neck fur bristled. "You just don't want to continue because you think Swiftpaw might beat Cinderpaw!"

"That has nothing to do with it!" Fireheart snapped. "Longtail quit being selfish and start thinking of your apprentice for a change. Look at him. Do you really think he's in any state to continue this training battle? You lost. Just own it. You can't force Swiftpaw to take his warrior assessment before he's ready just because you think it would be embarrassing if the younger apprentices were made warriors before him, and you can't force him to continue battling just because you can't handle the thought that he might lose every once in a while. It's time you grew up, Longtail, and started thinking of something besides your own wants and needs."

Without another word, he beckoned for Cinderpaw to follow him, and the two cats walked out of the sandy hollow. Cinderpaw's head was held high, pride over her victory radiating from her posture. Fireheart purred happily, forgetting all about his issues with Longtail when he saw how pleased his apprentice was.

"You were brilliant today," he praised her.

"Thanks," Cinderpaw purred. "But it was really all thanks to you. You were the one who came up with that awesome strategy."

"Nonsense," Fireheart disagreed. "Coming up with a strategy is only half the battle. What matters is execution, which you did perfectly. You're the one who deserves the credit."

"I feel a little sorry for Swiftpaw, though," Cinderpaw admitted.

"So do I," Fireheart agreed. "It's not his fault he got stuck in this situation. The thing is, Longtail has always been a loyal warrior and an avid follower of the warrior code. But he doesn't know the first thing about being a good fighter, hunter, mentor, or Clanmate. That's always been his biggest problem."

"Someone had better start teaching him," the dark gray molly remarked.

"I think that's something he'll need to work on by himself," Fireheart meowed, letting out a sigh. "But let's not concern ourselves with that. When we get back, take a piece of anything you want from the fresh-kill pile. You've more than earned it."

As they padded back towards the camp, however, Fireheart's mind kept wandering over to Longtail and his apprentice. He hoped that Swiftpaw would be able to receive his warrior name soon, but with the way the pale tabby warrior was behaving, it didn't look as though that was going to happen.

* * *

**Ashkit and Fernkit are about to become Ashpaw and Fernpaw! The mentors are different this time around...well, obviously, seeing as Darkstripe isn't around. **

**Just to get one thing out of the way, there will not be any Dust x Fern in this AU. Since I've already drawn attention to the fact that Dustpelt, Sandstorm, and Brindleface and her kits are all related, it wouldn't look right if I made Dustpelt and Fernkit/paw/cloud mates. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the pairing by any means (I'm not a huge fan, but I don't hate it). It just doesn't work well with the way I've written this AU. **

**Thanks for reading! **

**-TheShadowedWarrior**


	3. New Apprentices

As the sun was beginning to set, Bluestar leaped on top of the Highrock and gave the yowl that summoned her warriors: "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting."

She watched as, one by one, her warriors slowly made their way over to sit at the base of the Highrock. Dustpelt and Mousefur were sitting together, as they had been selected to mentor Fernkit and Ashkit. A few paces away, Runningwind sat beside Whitestorm and a heavily pregnant Willowpelt. Brackenpaw, Brightpaw, Thornpaw, and Cinderpaw were all sitting at the edge of the clearing, but Bluestar couldn't help noticing that Swiftpaw was on the opposite end, as though he had deliberately chosen to sit as far away from his denmates as possible. She also noticed Longtail sneer something at Fireheart as he passed by, to which Bluestar's son merely rolled his eyes and kept walking. Bluestar frowned, wondering what had happened between them.

At last, Brindleface emerged from the nursery with Ashkit and Fernkit in tow. Ashkit was practically bouncing up and down with excitement, while his sister was more reserved but no less prideful. When they were about halfway to the Highrock, Bluestar saw a tiny, fluffy ginger head poke out of the nursery. She purred in amusement. It looked as though Squirrelkit was up to her usual tricks again. Fireheart and Sandstorm certainly had their paws full with her.

"We are gathered here today to witness two of ThunderClan's kits become apprentices," she began. A pang of sorrow hit her as she recalled the last apprentice ceremony she had conducted. Fireheart had looked so proud that day, and his voice when he promised to pass on all she had taught him had been full of conviction. How long would it be until he felt that way about her again? He hadn't even told her about his decision to let Dustpelt and Mousefur mentor Brindleface's kits, leaving the task up to Whitestorm instead.

"Ashkit and Fernkit have reached their sixth moon, and it is time for them to begin their training," Bluestar continued, shaking off her anguish. "Fernkit, please step forward."

Slowly, Fernkit padded forward until she was standing right in front of Bluestar. Her green eyes were wide as she stared up at the ThunderClan leader, and her short legs were trembling fearfully. Bluestar gave her a gentle nod to reassure her that everything was alright, and to her relief, the little molly relaxed ever so slightly.

"From this day on, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Fernpaw," the blue-gray queen continued. "Dustpelt, you are ready for your first apprentice–that is, your first official apprentice. Now that Sandstorm is able to resume Thornpaw's training, you will mentor Fernpaw. You had an excellent mentor yourself in Redtail, and you did a fine job substituting for Sandstorm while she was nursing her kits. I trust that you will continue to pass on all you've learned to your new apprentice."

Dustpelt dipped his head in acknowledgment before padding up to Fernpaw and lowering his head to touch noses with her. They walked over to the edge of the clearing, and Bluestar turned her attention to Ashkit.

"Ashkit," she began once more. "From this moment on, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Ashpaw. Mousefur, you are ready for your first apprentice as well. I trust that you will pass on all the skills you possess onto this apprentice."

"Certainly, Bluestar," Mousefur agreed, moving forward to touch noses with Ashpaw.

"Fernpaw! Ashpaw! Fernpaw! Ashpaw" A cheer rose from the Clan as the ThunderClan warriors began chanting the new apprentices' names.

Her energy spent, Bluestar leaped down from the Highrock and headed back into her den. She couldn't bear to see the looks of pride and happiness on Dustpelt and Mousefur's faces, not wanting to be reminded of when she had seen Fireheart wearing the exact same expression only a few moons ago. Now that it looked as though he had no intention of ever speaking to her again unless absolutely necessary, every memory of him stabbed at her like thorns.

She just wished she understood why he hated her. What had happened to make him believe she would abandon him? Bluestar figured that StarClan probably had some idea, but her warrior ancestors had remained silent on the matter. Was this what they wanted? Did they take pleasure in the knowledge that she had no family who still cared for her besides Whitestorm?

Her most powerful warrior had turned out to be a cold-blooded traitor, her own son wanted nothing to do with her, and the rest of her family were all either dead or had forgotten all about her. Even though she had the support and loyalty of her Clanmates, somehow, it didn't feel as though anyone was on her side anymore.

* * *

Swiftpaw curled up in his nest in the back of the apprentices' den, far away from his denmates. He suppressed a pang of resentment as he listened to them whispering excitedly with Ashpaw and Fernpaw as though they were already best friends. Even though he had been training alongside Cinderpaw, Brackenpaw, Thornpaw, and Brightpaw for moons, they had never made an effort to be friendly with him.

Then again, he supposed he couldn't really blame them. After all, he wasn't exactly known for being the nicest cat in the Clan either. Swiftpaw could still remember vividly the embarrassment he had felt when Fireheart called him out on his poor behavior. If there was one thing that could be said for the ThunderClan deputy, it was that he certainly didn't mince words.

_"If you can't learn to show a bit of basic respect, then you don't deserve to be a warrior. ThunderClan needs loyal warriors it can count on, not mouthy, arrogant little apprentices who bring shame upon their Clanmates. You're the oldest apprentice in ThunderClan, Swiftpaw, but you behave like a kit. Cut the attitude now, or else you'll do nothing but disgrace your Clan." _

The training session hadn't improved from there, and in the end, Swiftpaw had been kicked out. Well, he supposed it would be more accurate to say he had chosen to sit out, after which Fireheart refused to let him back in. In fairness, it was the least he deserved.

Deciding to take a short walk to clear his head, Swiftpaw crept out of the apprentices' den, careful not to disturb his denmates. The camp was utterly silent except for the occasional snore coming from the elders' den. He headed for the gorse tunnel, only to be stopped moments later as a voice called out to him.

"Swiftpaw?" Fireheart called from the entrance to the warriors' den. "Where are you going?"

Swiftpaw closed his eyes, cursing StarClan for his bad luck. Part of him wanted to ignore the flame-colored warrior and keep walking, but even he knew better than to disrespect the Clan deputy. Instead, he stood still and forced his fur to remain flat, though he didn't turn to look Fireheart in the eye.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Fireheart's voice sounded closer now, and Swiftpaw turned his head to see that the older warrior was standing only a few tail-lengths away now. "I was just going to go on a walk myself. Care to join me?"

Well, it wasn't as though he had any choice. Swiftpaw nodded mutely, allowing Fireheart to lead the way out of the camp. As they walked, he noticed that the deputy's normally bright green eyes seemed dull, and there was a distant, sad look about them.

"Is there something wrong?" Swiftpaw found himself asking.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing," Fireheart meowed, flicking his tail dismissively. "Nothing important. Just a personal issue."

"Does it have anything to do with Bluestar?" the black and white apprentice asked.

Fireheart turned to him sharply. "How did you know about that?"

In truth, Swiftpaw didn't know anything–or at least he didn't know any specific details. All he knew was that Fireheart and Bluestar had once been as close as a mother and son, until one day, they weren't. Suddenly, the ginger tom wasn't speaking to Bluestar anymore unless the circumstance required it, and no one else in ThunderClan could figure out why.

"I don't," Swiftpaw admitted finally. "I just noticed that things are...different...between the two of you now. Pretty much everyone in the Clan has, really."

"I see," Fireheart murmured. "Well, it's not something you need to concern yourself with. It's just...something I need to figure out on my own."

"Okay." Swiftpaw's curiosity had only been piqued even further by the deputy's response, but he sensed that Fireheart wasn't going to elaborate.

"So, what's going on with you?" the flame-colored warrior asked. "Any particular reason you're up at such a horrific hour as well?"

Swiftpaw hesitated for a few moments, not entirely sure what to say. While Fireheart had been perfectly courteous, almost nice, to him so far, he didn't feel entirely comfortable divulging all of his innermost thoughts and feelings. There was something about the ginger tom that he was still a little wary of. Besides, even if he did trust Fireheart, Swiftpaw didn't think he was the type of cat to have any sort of heart-to-heart conversation.

"I guess I just couldn't sleep," he meowed finally. "So I thought I'd go out and hunt for a bit, maybe have a little practice session so I can work on my battle moves..."

"Well, why don't we go to the sandy hollow?" Fireheart suggested. "If you want to work on your battle moves, I can help you with them."

Swiftpaw's first instinct was to refuse his offer. Even though he knew how immature it was, his pride was still smarting from losing to Cinderpaw so horribly that day. Part of him was convinced that Fireheart only wanted to help him train as a way of rubbing it in.

_Don't be ridiculous. He wouldn't do something like that, _the black and white apprentice scolded himself. Out loud, he meowed, "Er, well...I mean, I guess?"

Fireheart purred in amusement. "Don't worry, I may not like your mentor, but that doesn't mean I'm going to eat you. Come on, we should get going while we still have a few hours until dawn."

They walked the rest of the way to the sandy hollow in silence. When they finally reached the training grounds where the apprentices held their battle practices, Fireheart padded a few tail-lengths away before turning to face Swiftpaw again.

"Right," the deputy meowed. "Let's see what you've got. Attack me."

Swiftpaw narrowed his eyes, remembering what Longtail had taught him. _Use your speed to your advantage. _Quick as lightning, he charged forward, only for Fireheart to step aside at the last second and send him flying to the side.

The younger tom got to his paws again, shaking his head to clear it. Once he had regained his senses, he rushed at Fireheart again, only to be met with the same result. He staggered back to his feet, growling in frustration. Why wasn't his speed enough to beat him?

"Swiftpaw," Fireheart meowed calmly. "Relax for a moment. Stop and think about what you're doing before you rush into every attack."

"I don't understand why it's not working!" Swiftpaw exclaimed, lashing his tail angrily. "Why am I not fast enough to beat you?"

"Being fast enough isn't your problem. Your problem is that you rely too much on your speed," Fireheart replied.

Swiftpaw stared at the older warrior, stunned. "But Longtail said my speed would help me win battles."

"And he's right, it will. But that doesn't mean you can neglect every other skill," Fireheart told him. "A warrior relies on many aspects to help him beat his opponents in battle–strength, speed, endurance, and his ability to think on his toes. I hate to bring him up, but part of what made Tigerclaw such a feared battler was that he was good–no, not just good, but great–at every one of those things I just mentioned. You've done an excellent job honing your speed, but you've allowed your other skills to fall to the wayside. Your speed might be enough to win you a few battles, Swiftpaw, but it certainly won't win you all of them, and sooner or later, you'll find that it's only too easy for your opponents to figure out how to beat you. And it won't be the same as a training session. The warrior code might forbid killing another cat unless absolutely necessary, but that doesn't mean everyone is going to follow it. And when you run into the one cat who doesn't, when all you have keeping you from dying is the skills you've learned from your training, if speed is the only skill you're sufficient in, then you've just earned yourself a one-way trip to StarClan."

He spoke with a quiet, serious sort of conviction, and Swiftpaw could do nothing but sit there and listen in awe. This was a side of Fireheart he had never seen before. No longer was he the rude, upstart kittypet who disrespected his mentor on a constant basis. This was a highly skilled warrior who took the training of the apprentices very seriously and was willing to help all of them improve, regardless of his personal feelings towards them or their mentors. For the first time, Swiftpaw finally understood why Bluestar had chosen Fireheart as her deputy.

"So...what should I do instead?" Swiftpaw asked finally when Fireheart had finished his lecture.

"You can use your speed to get close to me. It will still be useful in that regard," the flame-colored tom replied. "But don't go charging straight into the attack the way you've been doing because that will only make it too easy for me to throw you off. Do you know why you were losing so much energy during today's training session while Cinderpaw was able to keep most of her strength up?"

Swiftpaw shook his head.

"If you were watching, you would have noticed that whenever she threw you off, I had her stay in one place. By doing so, I forced you to waste energy trying to get to her," Fireheart explained. "When you have to keep running at your enemies from every direction, it requires you to waste a lot of your stamina. And you can't afford to do that in a real battle. Now, I want you to try to attack me again, but this time, keep the battle in one area instead of allowing me to fling you away again."

Swiftpaw nodded and backed a few paces away from Fireheart. Now that he knew that speed alone wasn't enough to beat the deputy, he had to rethink his entire strategy. But Fireheart was bigger and stronger; there was no way that using blunt force alone would work either.

_Maybe I can use that against him? _Swiftpaw thought. He narrowed his eyes. _It's worth a shot. _

Taking a deep breath, he charged towards Fireheart again, just as he'd done during his previous two attempts. This time, however, instead of aiming to attack him, Swiftpaw kept his eyes peeled for Fireheart's counterstrike that he knew was sure to come. Sure enough, once he was only a mere whisker-length away, he saw the deputy shift to the side and pull back his forepaw to throw him away. However, Swiftpaw was ready this time. As Fireheart was in the middle of his strike, he dodged away from the flame-colored warrior's paw. The sudden movement unbalanced Fireheart, and Swiftpaw took the opportunity to rear onto his hind legs, using the deputy's momentum against him and pinning him down in the soft sand.

"I did it!" he cried excitedly. "I really did it!"

"Excellent!" Fireheart purred, getting back on his feet. "_That _is what I want to see from you! Keep doing that, Swiftpaw, and you'll be a warrior in no time. Now, we don't have much time left, so let's get a few more of those in before we head back to the camp."

They continued training until the sun was just above the horizon. When Fireheart finally called it a night, Swiftpaw couldn't help feeling relieved. His entire body ached and he felt more worn out than ever. Fireheart definitely knew how to push apprentices to their limit. Despite his exhaustion, however, Swiftpaw's heart was light and there was a certain spring in his step as he walked back home. He couldn't wait to get back and show Longtail everything he had learned. At long last, he felt as though he were making real progress towards becoming a full warrior of ThunderClan.

* * *

**Yay, Swiftpaw is finally learning something! Although Longtail probably won't be happy, lol. **

**Responses to a few reviews: **

**Spongekit36: I agree, Swiftpaw deserved a lot better, so I'm trying to make him a little more important in my story. As for Longtail, well, I can't really answer that question without giving too much away, so you're just going to have to wait and see. **

**Pkk: Without giving too much information, I'll say that Fireheart finally starts to get over things at about...chapter five. And yeah, you would think he'd be a little suspicious, but this is the stupid orange boy we're talking about. **

** h: It's probably even lower than that, to be honest. **

**FreeEcho: Party! **

**Thanks for reading, **

**-TheShadowedWarrior**


	4. Longtail's Jealousy

The following morning, Bluestar was awoken by the sound of raised voices coming from outside her den. She walked out to find Longtail and Swiftpaw having a blazing row as Fireheart did his best to calm them down. A few tail-lengths away, Fernpaw and Ashpaw watched the scene with wide, scared eyes as the older apprentices fixated their attention on their paws. As she padded closer, Bluestar was able to catch more of what was being said.

"What's your problem, Longtail? All I did was go for a little late-night training session!" Swiftpaw snapped. "I thought mentors were supposed to _encourage _their apprentices to train harder."

"That isn't the point!" Longtail snarled back. "The point is that you chose _Fireheart _of all cats to help you!"

"So what if I did?" the black and white apprentice meowed, a challenge flashing in his eyes.

"_So what if you did?_" Longtail repeated, looking incredulous. "Swiftpaw, we've been over this before! I don't mind you asking other warriors for help, but you can't turn to Fireheart. He hates you; he'll do anything you can to sabotage your training."

Bluestar felt a surge of fury. How dare Longtail suggest that her son would deliberately undermine an apprentice's training? Even if he was bitter over losing both of his friends, there was still no excuse to throw out such blatant defamations. She opened her mouth to defend Fireheart, but surprisingly, someone else beat her to it.

"Apologize to my mentor!" Cinderpaw snarled, baring her teeth at the older warrior. Despite the fact that Longtail was almost twice her size, the dark gray molly showed no fear as she stared him down.

"I'd like to see you make me try," the pale tabby sneered. "He had no right to undermine me. I was teaching Swiftpaw just fine, and then he had to come along and make me look like a fool! Since I can't punish Fireheart, Swiftpaw, as punishment for your betrayal, you're cleaning the elders' den for two moons."

"That's not fair!" Swiftpaw protested, and Bluestar had to agree with that. "I didn't do anything wrong!"

"You're out of line, Longtail," Fireheart meowed warningly.

"Out of line? You tried to turn my apprentice against me!" Longtail spat, rounding on the flame-pelted warrior.

"Longtail, would you like to have your apprentice stripped from you as well? Because right now, you're certainly heading in that direction. Either stand down right now, or I'll speak to Bluestar and tell her that you've decided you don't want to train Swiftpaw anymore."

The rest of the Clan gasped as Fireheart gave his ultimatum. For several heartbeats, there was nothing but silence as everyone waited for Longtail's response. Bluestar watched, half-expecting Swiftpaw to defend his mentor, but the young apprentice merely looked away. That was all it took to push Longtail over the edge.

"Fine!" he snarled, unsheathing his claws and digging them into the ground. "Fine! If that's how it's going to be, then have it your way! Swiftpaw, from this moment on, you are no longer my apprentice! I will not train a cat who does nothing but disrespect me and sneak around behind my back. You know, I never wanted you as my apprentice anyway. I always knew that you were a failure of a warrior. Have fun finding someone who actually wants to mentor a hopeless case like you."

Bluestar was horrified to see Swiftpaw's face fall as his amber eyes filled with tears. Before anyone could say anything, he turned and rushed out of the camp, followed quickly by Goldenflower, who had been drawn from the nursery by the sound of arguing. Once they were gone, Fireheart turned to Longtail with a furious expression on his face.

"How dare you?" the ginger tom hissed quietly. "Swiftpaw did nothing wrong, Longtail. Every warrior in ThunderClan is responsible for making sure our apprentices receive sufficient training. Your petty grudge against me is no excuse for you to insult Swiftpaw for doing the smart thing and asking for help."

"That has nothing to do with it!" Longtail growled.

"Yes, it does. You just can't handle the fact that, now that Tigerclaw and Darkstripe are gone, you're finally being exposed for the weak, pathetic excuse of a warrior you are," Fireheart meowed coldly. "Face it, Longtail. You've always been that way: a coward who has to hide behind bigger, stronger warriors."

By now, the entire Clan had been roused from their dens by the commotion in the middle of the camp. Everyone was watching the scene with bated breath, waiting to see what would happen next. And everyone saw the moment Longtail took one step too far–again.

"Is that so?" the pale tabby warrior sneered. "Well, I might be a coward, Fireheart, but at least _my _mother wasn't so embarrassed by me that she dumped me off in a Twoleg home."

Fireheart flinched visibly, and Bluestar felt a pang of guilt at the hurt that flashed in his eyes. Almost immediately, however, it was gone, replaced by rage and hatred, unlike anything she'd ever seen. He hadn't even looked at Brokenstar with this much malice. Longtail took a step back, clearly frightened of the state he had pushed the deputy into.

"So that's what you think." Fireheart's voice was calm, but there was a dangerous undertone that sent chills down everyone's spines. "Well, Longtail, all I have to say is that you're one to talk. At least my mother didn't starve herself to death. Not that I blame her, of course. I would do the same thing if the alternative meant that I had to live with the shame of knowing I shared the same blood as you. The best thing that can be said is that Robinwing at least has Dustpelt and Ravenflight to be proud of–at least they turned out to be good warriors. But as for you, I'll bet she spends all her time in StarClan denying that you're even related to her, which I don't blame her for at all. The mere _idea _of having you as a son must be a personal offense. Even _Brokentail _deserves better than you."

With that, he turned around and stormed away, leaving his stunned Clanmates behind him. His flame-pelted fur was bristling and his emerald-green eyes blazed with fury. Bluestar padded up to him to try to comfort him, but he brushed right past her without even glancing her way.

"Fireheart, I–" she began quietly, but he just cut her off.

"Leave me alone," the ThunderClan deputy meowed quietly.

"But, I just–"

"What part of 'leave me alone' do you not understand?!" Fireheart snarled. "You just don't know when to quit, do you?"

Bluestar opened her mouth to respond but couldn't think of anything to say. Silently, she watched as her kit stormed off into the warriors' den, disappearing from view. Dustpelt and Ravenflight glanced at the spot Fireheart had disappeared from worriedly, while Sandstorm, Cinderpaw, and her siblings all glared at Longtail. Squirrelkit, Rainkit, Redkit, and Spotkit, Fireheart and Sandstorm's children, looked between their mother and the other warriors with wide eyes.

"Everyone, go on patrol or hunt for a bit. Stay away from the warriors' den," Whitestorm meowed quietly. "Let's leave Fireheart alone for a bit."

Bluestar didn't wait to see if the rest of the Clan obeyed Whitestorm's order. Instead, she turned and trudged back to her own den, her heart sinking lower and lower with every step. No matter what she did, it seemed that Fireheart was determined to hate her forever. Of course, she had accepted long ago that this was probably going to be the case, but at times like these, when it was obvious he needed a mother's comfort, the hole in her heart left by his rejection seemed even more painful than usual.

* * *

Fireheart curled up in his nest, staring blankly at the den wall. He could hear Whitestorm ordering the rest of the warriors to stay away from him, but he found that he couldn't bring himself to care. In his mind, the flame-pelted warrior kept repeating Longtail's words to him over and over until he was certain that he was going to drive himself mad.

_"At least my mother wasn't so embarrassed by me that she dumped me off in a Twoleg home." _

How had he even found out? It wasn't as though Fireheart had gone around telling everyone that Bluestar was his mother. True, a few of the queens had worked things out, but Longtail had never taken any particular interest in his personal life except to taunt him for being a kittypet. Maybe one of the queens had let something slip on accident. True, Rainkit was a bit of a giveaway, but Fireheart didn't think Longtail had enough brains to make the connection between Rainkit's appearance and his relationship to Bluestar.

Then another thought crossed his mind. Longtail was older than him. He had been at least six moons old when Fireheart was born, old enough to remember when he disappeared from the camp. Did he know something about what had happened that day?

_But he never seemed to realize anything before, _Fireheart mused to himself. _And besides, telling me that Bluestar abandoned me is exactly the sort of thing Longtail would say to try to get under my fur. But then again, it is strange that a StarClan warrior would tell me the exact same thing..._

He groaned and dropped his head in between his paws. Fantastic. Now he was questioning Thistleclaw's word along with everyone else who had commented on the subject of his supposed abandonment. Was he ever going to receive any information that he didn't end up questioning later?

Thistleclaw had told him that Bluestar abandoned him, and he was a StarClan warrior, so Fireheart trusted that he was telling the truth. But Longtail had told him the same thing, and he trusted a hungry fox more than he trusted him. Bluestar had gone out of her way to protect him after he rejoined the Clan, but she hadn't made any effort to find him while he was in Twolegplace, nor had she bothered to tell him the truth. Nothing made any sense at all, and Fireheart didn't know if he wanted to ask Bluestar for an explanation.

_Maybe I could ask Whitestorm instead, _Fireheart thought. The white warrior was nearly as close to Bluestar as he had once been, and Fireheart still trusted his word. Not to mention Whitestorm was likely to include a few details that Bluestar would conveniently gloss over. _Yes, _he decided, _I'll ask Whitestorm to clarify everything. I know that he at least won't lie to me. _

That would have to wait until tomorrow, though. For now, Fireheart's emotions were still too riled up to handle such a conversation. Making a mental note to remember his vow to talk to Whitestorm, he closed his eyes and allowed a wave of sleep to claim him.

* * *

**He's finally going to do it. **

**Yay. About time. **

**Also, Longtail's pissed...I mean, it's not like we expected anything else. But dude...really? You hurt Swiftpaw's feelings, you bastard. **

**Responses to a few reviews: **

**Pkk: I love Swiftpaw, even though in canon, he was kind of a dick until after he died–or, well, at least from the few times we actually saw him. And yeah, Longtail is pissed. Hopefully, he gets over it soon, huh? **

**The MoonClanner: While I certainly agree with you, I would ask that you refrain from killing Fireheart. Mostly because that would kind of ruin the story...and also because I doubt Bluestar wants you to kill her baby. **

**GodofGreed: To be honest, Longtail and Fireheart's personalities are the bigger issue here. With Fireheart being a lot more aggressive than he is in canon, he's not afraid to call Longtail out on his bullshit or even deliver a few low blows himself, as you saw in this chapter. The fact that Fireheart is also a much better warrior, which is painfully obvious to everyone, doesn't help matters. **

**MapleleafOfThunderClan: No, Whitestorm didn't lie to Fireheart or Bluestar. She actually was asleep at the time, but when Whitestorm passed on the message, she took it to mean that Fireheart was trying to avoid her. Of course, the truth is that he didn't want to bother her, but at this point, Bluestar simply assumes that Fireheart will do anything in his power to avoid having to speak to her. **

**Thanks for reading! **

**-TheShadowedWarrior**


	5. The Truth About Thistleclaw

Whitestorm was sharing a squirrel with Willowpelt when Fireheart approached him and beckoned with his tail for him to speak to him alone. Letting out a small sigh, he gave Willowpelt an apologetic look before getting to his paws and following the deputy out of the camp. Despite his annoyance with the younger warrior, Whitestorm knew he still owed Fireheart the same basic respect afforded to the Clan deputy. Of course, that didn't do anything to change his feelings, and he was unable to keep a note of impatience out of his voice as he demanded to know what Fireheart wanted.

"I need an explanation," the flame-colored tom meowed.

"About what?" Whitestorm asked even though he knew very well already.

"About what really happened when I was abandoned in Twolegplace," Fireheart answered.

Whitestorm snorted. "_Now _you want an explanation?" he meowed incredulously. The ginger tom winced, but he found that he didn't care. "Tough luck, Fireheart. You've had every chance in the world to ask Bluestar, but you've blown her off every time. She can't even bring herself to leave her den for most of the day because of you. If you want an explanation, then stop being a coward and go speak to her instead of using me as a means of avoiding her yet again."

"But I can't!" Fireheart snapped, lashing his tail. "Nothing she's been saying makes any sense! Nothing about this at _all _makes any sense! I know Bluestar cares about me, that much was made obvious during my apprenticeship. But she let me rot in Twolegplace for five moons while she was out here enjoying life as Clan leader. _Five moons, _Whitestorm. And not once did she ever try to look for me. Meanwhile, I've also got Thistleclaw telling me that she abandoned me, and he's a StarClan warrior, so I know he has to be telling the truth. But Longtail said the same thing, and I don't trust anything _he _says any more than I would trust a ShadowClan warrior trying to convince me that the sky is actually purple."

Whitestorm stiffened as he listened to the flame-pelted warrior vent. _Did he just say what I thought he said?_ he wondered. Out loud, he meowed, "Wait a moment, Fireheart. Did you just say that Thistleclaw told you that Bluestar abandoned you?"

"Yes, I did. Pay attention," the ginger tom snapped. "Anyway, as I was saying..."

Whitestorm was barely listening as Fireheart continued with his rant. At long last, he finally knew who had filled his head with such ridiculous ideas about Bluestar abandoning him. Suddenly, everything was beginning to make sense. Thistleclaw had hated Bluestar ever since they were apprentices; it was fitting that he would be the one to trick Fireheart into believing she had abandoned him. The only question now was how to convince Fireheart that he had been lied to.

"Fireheart," the great white warrior began calmly. "How much do you know about Thistleclaw?"

Fireheart looked startled by the question. "Er, not much," he admitted. "Only that he was a ThunderClan warrior like us and that he died during a border skirmish with RiverClan."

"Well, then you should know that Thistleclaw hated Bluestar ever since he was a kit," Whitestorm informed the younger tom. "When he was alive, he went out of his way to cause trouble for her. He was my father, and after my mother died, he did everything in his power to stop Bluestar from visiting me. If he told you that Bluestar abandoned you, don't believe a word of it. This is just another one of his plans to get back at Bluestar for stealing the deputyship from him."

Fireheart frowned. "Wait, stealing the deputyship? What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Back when I was a new warrior, our deputy, Tawnyspots, decided to retire due to an illness that didn't seem to be getting better," Whitestorm explained. "Bluestar and Thistleclaw were the two cats everyone deemed to be the most likely to replace him. Well, as you might have guessed, Bluestar ended up being the one who was chosen...and Thistleclaw was furious. I think it was made worse by the fact that, as I mentioned before, he had hated her ever since he was barely out of the nursery–and the fact that he had probably convinced himself that he was a guaranteed pick probably made it sting even more."

"Why would he think that?" Fireheart asked, looking puzzled.

"At the time, Bluestar was nursing her kits, and the Clan couldn't afford to take a queen nursing kits as deputy," Whitestorm answered. "Maybe they could in other times, but that was an especially harsh leaf-bare, and we couldn't have our deputy's mind being distracted. Bluestar's kits were barely a moon old when Tawnyspots' health started to decline, and they still needed their mother's milk. But then one day, they were snatched out of the nursery by a fox, and Bluestar was named deputy soon after. If not for that unfortunate tragedy, Thistleclaw probably would have been picked instead."

As he finished his story, Whitestorm could see several questions flickering in Fireheart's emerald-colored eyes. He was relieved to see that the flame-pelted warrior at least seemed to believe what he was hearing–or at the very least was willing to accept the possibility that Thistleclaw might have lied to him. However, he knew there was still a long way to go before he was able to convince him completely.

"Okay, then," Fireheart meowed finally. "I can accept that Thistleclaw had a grudge against Bluestar when he was alive, but he's dead now. All of this happened a long time ago. Surely he wouldn't still care now?"

"Fireheart, if there was one thing that Thistleclaw and Bluestar had in common, it was that both of them were terrible at letting things go," the white warrior meowed. "Even after she became Clan leader, he still hadn't gotten over the fact that he wasn't the one going to the Moonstone to receive his nine lives. And things only became worse when Bluestar chose Redtail as her deputy instead of Thistleclaw. Telling you that Bluestar abandoned you in an attempt to turn you against her was probably a final form of payback."

"But turning me against Bluestar wouldn't change the fact that he didn't become Clan deputy," the flame-colored tom pointed out, frowning in confusion.

"No, it wouldn't, you're right," Whitestorm agreed, nodding. "But I don't think Thistleclaw's actions have anything to do with a desire to become Clan deputy–or at least not completely. He's dead; he can't become the deputy anymore. And to be honest, that was never his only motivation even when he was alive. Everything he ever did when he was alive, it was always done with the intention of hurting Bluestar."

Fireheart didn't reply. Instead, he simply stood there and listened with an expression of shock in his green eyes. Taking a deep breath, Whitestorm rested the tip of his tail on the younger cat's shoulder.

"I know you probably don't remember much of your time in ThunderClan as a kit, but Bluestar _did _love you," he meowed gently. "When she found out that you were going to be born...that was the happiest I remember seeing her in moons. And then when you came along, it was as if she'd forgotten about the rest of us. You were the only thing in the world that mattered to her. Even when she had to discuss Clan matters with Redtail or her other senior warriors, she never let you out of her sight. If you can believe that she cared about you then, don't you think she deserves a chance to explain how you ended up in Twolegplace?"

"I–I suppose so," Fireheart meowed, glancing to the side nervously. "But...what if it's too late? What if she decides she doesn't want to talk to me anymore?"

"Fireheart, I can assure you without a doubt that Bluestar would never refuse to speak to you," Whitestorm replied firmly. "She's waited this long for you to finally forgive her and let her explain things. Do you really think she's about to give up now? Everything will be fine, I promise. You'll see. All you have to do is go to her den and talk to her."

For a few moments, there was nothing but silence. Fireheart shifted back and forth as he stared down at his paws, apparently fixated by something in between them. It was clear that he was struggling to figure out something to say. Whitestorm remained silent as well, waiting for his Clanmate to respond. At last, after what felt like several seasons, the flame-pelted warrior exhaled slowly and lifted his head to meet Whitestorm's gaze.

"Okay, then," Fireheart meowed softly. "I'll try."

* * *

** IT'S FINALLY GOING TO HAPPEN! EVERYONE, THROW A PARTY! **

**Anyway, now to respond to a few reviews.**

**Pkk: Glad you enjoyed it! As for Swiftpaw's new mentor, I hadn't quite decided that yet. But he won't be an apprentice for much longer, so there might not be much point. Maybe everyone else can just be his unofficial mentor. **

**The MoonClanner: Does he get to live now? **

**Firecat21870: Yes, yes he does. #ProtectSwiftpaw2019**

**Shadowwolf1997: With Darkstripe gone and Dustpelt already friends with Fireheart, Longtail is taking the place of Fireheart's main in-Clan antagonist for this arc. There's also the fact that in this AU, Fireheart and Longtail's personalities just don't work well with each other...worse than in canon, obviously. I won't tell you whether or not anything changes in his behavior, but I will say that if I _do _decide to go a similar route with Longtail as the writers did in canon, it's going to take a lot more for him to redeem himself. But, you know. **¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**Thanks for reading! **

**-TheShadowedWarrior**


	6. The Real Story

Late that night, Fireheart hovered outside Bluestar's den as he tried to work up the courage to go inside. In his jaws, he clutched a plump wood mouse that he had brought to use as a peace offering. Despite Whitestorm's reassurances that Bluestar would be more than willing to talk to him, the ginger tom couldn't make himself believe him. After spending the last few moons blowing her off, it wouldn't have come as a surprise if she decided she wasn't interested in making amends with him anymore. It would be the least he deserved, after all.

Taking a deep breath, Fireheart pushed his way through the curtain of lichen that enclosed the entrance to his mother's den. As he entered, he saw Bluestar lift her head and turn her tired blue gaze towards him. He felt a pang as he took in the sight of his Clan leader. Even in the dim light, it was clear that her health had declined. She had lost a considerable amount of weight, and her normally glossy fur seemed unusually dull. When their eyes met, however, the expression in the blue-gray molly's eyes morphed into one of anguish, hope, and overwhelming love. That was enough to convince Fireheart that Whitestorm had been telling the truth–Bluestar really did love him. Despite his treatment of her for the past two moons, she still hadn't given up on him.

"Fireheart?" Bluestar whispered, her voice filled with pain and hope. "Is that you?"

When Fireheart had first entered the den, there had been about a million questions he needed answers to. At that moment, however, he couldn't find the courage to ask any of them. For several heartbeats, he remained silent as he struggled against the urge to turn tail and run back outside.

_This was a bad idea. I knew I shouldn't have come here, _Fireheart thought despondently. Then he shook his head. _No! I _will _get through this. _

Pushing his doubts to the back of his mind, Fireheart exhaled slowly and padded forward until he was standing right in front of Bluestar. Setting down the mouse in front of her, he took a seat and curled his tail over his paws. As he struggled to find the right words to begin the conversation, he felt Bluestar reach over and press her nose to his forehead gently. He closed his eyes, relaxing against the soothing gesture.

"Are you alright?" Bluestar asked softly.

"I'm fine," Fireheart replied quietly. "I just...I just wanted to ask a few questions."

"Of course," the blue-gray queen replied gently. "Feel free to ask anything you want. What is it that you need to know?"

"Well...everything, really," Fireheart meowed, and despite his earlier hesitation, he found that once he started talking, he couldn't stop. "Why did you abandon your first litter so that you could become Clan deputy? Why was that more important? Why didn't you ever try to find me while I was stuck in Twolegplace? And if you didn't abandon me, how _did _I end up there in the first place? Why didn't you ever tell me who you really were? Why did you allow me to be subjected to endless taunts about being a 'soft, overfed kittypet'? Why is _everything _I believed about myself a lie?"

He took a breath as he finished, lashing his tail. Bluestar rested her tail-tip gently on his shoulder, and he found himself being soothed by the gesture. Finally, after several moments had passed, she began to speak.

"Alright," she meowed. "If you're going to understand everything, I need to start from the beginning. I'll start first with why I left Mistyfoot and Stonefur to the care of RiverClan. First of all, let me just say that I know how it looks to you. Believe me, if I was in your position, I would feel the exact same way. But the truth is, there was nothing I could do. I needed to become the deputy in order to save ThunderClan."

"But how would that have saved ThunderClan?" Fireheart asked in bewilderment. "And why not just give them to another queen to raise?"

"The other frontrunner for the deputyship was a cat named Thistleclaw," Bluestar meowed. Fireheart nodded, having already heard this from Whitestorm. "And he was the one cat that I knew I could never be allowed to obtain power. Don't get me wrong, he was a fine warrior. But his answer to every problem was to fight...and there were times when his aggression was taken too far. A few moons before I earned my place as Clan deputy, he had his apprentice attack a kit at the Twolegplace border. Our medicine cat at the time, Goosefeather, had a vision of Thistleclaw drenched in blood. That was the fate that awaited ThunderClan if he became Clan deputy. I couldn't allow that to happen."

Fireheart listened, stunned.

"As for why I didn't simply give my kits to another queen," Bluestar went on. "The simple answer is that I couldn't. That was an especially bitter leaf-bare, and the queens barely had enough milk to sustain their own kits, let alone three more. In those days, RiverClan was always sleek and well-fed from the fish in the river. I took two of my kits to Sunningrocks to give them over to their father, Oakheart...but my little Mosskit was too weak to make the journey. She died with me by the river."

She dropped her head onto her paws. Unsure what else to do, Fireheart gave Bluestar a swift lick between her ears before sitting back, waiting for her to continue. At last, once she had managed to calm down, she lifted her head and went on with her story.

"Well, I'm sure you can guess what happened next," she meowed. "I earned my place as ThunderClan's leader, and a few seasons later, you came along. Your father and I were so happy when you were born. And I never intended for you to end up in Twolegplace. It was an accident."

"What happened?" Fireheart asked.

"You were taken from me," Bluestar replied softly. "One day, I took you out for a walk because you had begged me to see the forest. While we were out, Redtail came to speak to me about something that had happened at the ShadowClan border. While I was distracted, you went off to play...and Thistleclaw lured you away from me and over to Twolegplace."

"Why didn't you look for me?"

"I did," Bluestar told him. "We all did–all except Thistleclaw, that is. But we couldn't find you. And it rained later that day, so your scent trail was washed away before we could get a good idea of where you had gone. We searched all day for you–a few warriors even went to visit the other Clans to see if you had ended up there somehow. But none of them had seen you either. Eventually, we had to give up the search, and you were pronounced dead."

She paused for a moment, sniffing quietly and blinking as though she had something in her eye. A few heartbeats later, she managed to compose herself enough to continue speaking.

"I moved on after a while, not that I had much choice," Bluestar meowed softly. "I took care of my duties as Clan leader, just as I was supposed to do. But I would have given up everything if it meant I could have you back. When I found you again, I was so happy. After all those moons I spent wondering if you were happy in StarClan, wondering if your last moments had been painful, here you were."

"But why didn't you tell me who you were?" Fireheart repeated.

"You didn't know who I was," Bluestar explained. "I didn't think it was a good idea to walk up to you and say 'Hello, I'm your mother'. You probably wouldn't have taken that well."

"What about after we got to know each other again?" he asked.

"It was never the right time. I was worried that the shock of finding out something like that would be too much to handle, especially on top of everything else you were dealing with," Bluestar answered. She laughed bitterly as she continued, "Of course, trying to protect you only ended up backfiring in the end, didn't it?"

She pressed her muzzle into Fireheart's forehead. It was a kind and soothing gesture, and the young warrior purred happily, basking in the comfort of his mother's affection.

"Please, believe me, Fireheart," Bluestar meowed softly. "I _never _would have dreamed of abandoning you. I would have died before I abandoned you." She hesitated, then added, "I love you."

And at long last, Fireheart believed her. He nodded silently and rested his head against her shoulder, allowing her to rasp her tongue gently over his ears.

"I love you too, Mama," he whispered.

Bluestar began to purr with delight, continuing her steady, rhythmic licks to his ears. Fireheart closed his eyes, almost feeling as though he were a tiny kit again. There were still so many questions he wanted to ask and he had a suspicion that Thistleclaw would be back to cause trouble, but for now, he was content to bask in the joy of being with his mother again.


	7. Family

That night, Fireheart slept with Bluestar in her den, his mother's tail wrapped protectively around him as though he were a tiny kit again. He closed his eyes, allowing her steady, rhythmic licks to his head to lull him into a peaceful, contented slumber.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself back in the strange forest where he'd first met Thistleclaw. Fireheart glanced around to see if the spiky-furred warrior was there. Sure enough, there he was, standing just a few tail-lengths to the side. There was an expression of incandescent rage on his scarred face, and his mouth was twisted into a snarl.

"Oh, not you again," Fireheart groaned in annoyance. "Look, I already know that you were lying to me, so you're just wasting your time here."

"Is that so?" Thistleclaw sneered. "You seemed perfectly willing to believe me the first time. But perhaps I shouldn't be surprised–considering how easily you believed me the first time, I could tell you that the sky was purple and you'd still fall for it."

Fireheart let out a growl, sinking his claws into the ground. "What is it you want from me?"

"Oh, believe me, it's not you that I'm after," the gray and white warrior meowed indifferently, as though they were merely discussing the weather. "Quite frankly, you're not worth my time. You're just a pathetic little warrior, after all. And stupid too. I can't believe you haven't realized why I took an interest in you in the first place."

"I know why," Fireheart snapped back. "What I _don't _understand is why you're still so obsessed with getting back at Bluestar. You're dead; what does it matter to you now?"

"Call it unfinished business if you'd like," Thistleclaw replied, still as cool and indifferent as ever. His gaze darkened as he continued, "Thanks to her, I lost everything. She took my mate out on a walk one day, and she got hit by a monster, leaving our son without his mother. She turned my son against me, telling him all sorts of lies about how I was a cruel, bloodthirsty monster who would get him killed one day. She went off and had kits with a RiverClan warrior, yet Sunstar still chose her to replace our deputy instead of me. I had to watch that pathetic traitor wield power over the Clan, power that _I _should have been given! And when she took her nine lives as ThunderClan's leader, did she choose me as her deputy? No! She chose that mouse-brained Redtail instead! I _deserved _to become Clan deputy, but she refused to hand me my rightful place! All because she refused to get over her pathetic grudge."

"Are you sure it's Bluestar who refused to get over her grudge?" a new voice asked.

Fireheart and Thistleclaw spun around to see Spottedleaf striding out from the trees, accompanied by a white molly with blue eyes that looked identical to Bluestar's. She was the one who had spoken. Thistleclaw stiffened at the sight of her, every hair on his pelt raised in shock. The white-furred queen glared at him in return with eyes that burned with blue fire. It wasn't quite as intimidating as the glare Bluestar gave when she was angry, but it was close.

But that wasn't the only thing Fireheart noticed about the two newcomers. Both Spottedleaf and the unfamiliar molly's fur shone as bright as stars, so much so that he almost had to look away. There was no sign of any scarring on their bodies either, not even the wound that had killed Spottedleaf. Fireheart glanced over at Thistleclaw, who looked more menacing than ever with his twisted snarl and heavily scarred face.

"I knew that you always hated my sister, but even I never thought you would go this far, Thistleclaw," the white queen hissed.

"Snowfur, I–" Thistleclaw began, but she cut him off.

"Save it," Snowfur spat. "You have no right to make excuses now. You've done nothing but hurt everyone who even _slightly _disagrees with you. I have no idea what I ever saw in you. What sort of cat do you think you are, trying to turn Bluestar's son against her? Honestly! Lying about the fact that you've been banished to the Dark Forest, why, I never–"

"The Dark Forest?" Fireheart interrupted, too stunned to realize he was being rude. "What–what's that?"

"It's a place where cats like _him _end up when they die," Spottedleaf growled, her flashing as she glared at Thistleclaw. She had never looked less like the gentle medicine mentor Fireheart had known when she was alive. "Certain cats are not permitted entry into StarClan, due to crimes they committed while they were alive. Thistleclaw is one of those cats."

"I did it to avenge you!" Thistleclaw spat. He was looking at Snowfur, his tail lashing from side to side.

"There was nothing to avenge! I chose to risk my life to defend my Clan, and I paid the price for it. It's as simple as that," Snowfur meowed heatedly.

"Enough!" Spottedleaf ordered. "We're taking Fireheart out of here _now_. Thistleclaw, this is the last time you will ever walk in his dreams again. If we find out that you've been filling his head with lies, we'll deal with you as we see fit."

"I'd like to see him try," Fireheart growled, glaring at the spiky-furred warrior.

Thistleclaw bared his teeth at him, but a warning hiss from Snowfur made him step back. Silently, he turned and disappeared deeper into the forest, glancing back over his shoulder occasionally at the three warriors. Once he was gone, Snowfur turned to Fireheart, an irritated look in her blue eyes.

"Now, as for you–" she began, only for Spottedleaf to interrupt.

"Oh, leave him alone, Snowfur. You admitted yourself that it wasn't Fireheart's fault that Thistleclaw tricked him," the pretty tortoiseshell meowed. "We've both seen even the smartest warriors deceived by the Dark Forest in much more harmful ways. Besides, everything is alright between Fireheart and Bluestar now, so don't give him a hard time."

"I suppose you have a point," Snowfur meowed with a sigh. She narrowed her eyes as she continued, "Just make sure not to believe everything you're told from now on, got it?"

"Y-yes, I understand," Fireheart stammered. He wasn't sure how much he liked Snowfur, even if she was Bluestar's sister.

"Good," Snowfur replied. Her gaze softened slightly as she went on, "I've been looking forward to meeting you for a long time, Fireheart–Mosskit has as well. She was hoping to come along with me and Spottedleaf, but the Dark Forest isn't the best place for kits."

"Mosskit?" Fireheart repeated in surprise, remembering his conversation with Bluestar. "You mean..."

The white-furred queen nodded. "Yes, Bluestar's daughter, and your half-sister," she meowed.

"Can I meet her now?" he asked hopefully. The only siblings he'd ever known were his adopted kittypet brothers and sisters, and while he still cared for them, it would be nice to get a chance to know his blood siblings as well. Of course, he already knew Mistyfoot and Stonefur, but considering they were in RiverClan, he doubted whether he would ever get to know them in the way he wanted.

However, his aunt just shook her head. "There's not enough time," she answered. "You're going to be waking up soon, and besides, Spottedleaf and I need to head back to StarClan's hunting grounds. But rest assured, you will get to meet Mosskit one day. And when it's your time to join StarClan, you'll have all the time in the world to bond as siblings."

Fireheart wanted to protest, but the two StarClan warriors and the surrounding forest were fading away rapidly. Soon, they were gone, leaving him in complete and utter darkness. Just before he woke up, he could have sworn he heard Snowfur's voice calling out to him, "I will watch over you, dear Fireheart. Tell my sister I love her."

* * *

When Fireheart woke up, he was still curled up in Bluestar's den. His mother, however, was nowhere to be seen. He glanced outside in a slight panic, wondering if he had overslept somehow. But the sky was still as dark as ever. It would be at least another few hours until daybreak. Fireheart frowned in confusion. Why had Bluestar left her den at this time of night?

His curiosity getting the best of him, the flame-pelted warrior stood up and went off in search of his mother. He managed to track her over to the burial site where they lay their deceased Clan members to rest. She was speaking softly to a small grave in the far left corner, and as Fireheart drew closer, he was able to make out what she was saying.

"He's grown into such a fine warrior. I wish you could be here to see it," Bluestar murmured. She chuckled as she continued, "But I know you're proud of him anyway."

"Mama?" Fireheart called out, and the blue-gray queen turned to face him. "Who–who are you talking to?"

Bluestar motioned with her tail for him to come forward. "Come. There's someone I want you to talk to."

Fireheart was more than a little confused, but he did as he was told and padded forward to sit beside his mother. He glanced around to see who it was that she wanted him to speak to, but there was no one else around. Sensing his bewilderment, Bluestar shook her head and motioned towards the grave in front of them.

"This is where we buried your father, Thrushpelt," she meowed softly. "He passed away shortly before you came back to ThunderClan, but he loved you very much. When we thought you were dead, he grieved for moons...but he knows you're safe now, and I know he's watching over you, always."

Fireheart gazed at Bluestar for several heartbeats, then shifted his eyes over to his father's grave. As he stared at the small mound of dirt, lined by a few flowers, an image of himself, as a one-moon-old kit, leaping up joyfully and clinging to Thrushpelt's tail with tiny claws as the warrior pretended to try to shake him off flashed in his mind. He rested his head against his mother's chest, feeling a sharp pain in his chest: half longing, half unbearable sadness.

"I miss him," he whispered.

"I know," Bluestar murmured gently, resting her head on top of his and stroking his flank gently with her tail. "But he's always with you, my precious son, even if you can't see him or hear him. And one day, you'll meet again. You'll see."

"I know," Fireheart whispered, feeling grief pierce his heart. "I just...I want to be able to talk to him _now_."

"I understand how you feel," Bluestar meowed softly. "There are still times when I want to speak to my mother again, and she's been gone since I was an apprentice. We have to continue on, Fireheart, for their sake as well as our own. And in some way, they're always here with us. I can still see so much of Thrushpelt in you. Your laugh, your kindness, even the way you chew your fresh-kill when you're lost in thought. He still lives on in you, my sweet, and even if you can't see him, he still loves you very much."

Fireheart nodded and closed his eyes, pressing himself closer to his mother. He felt her tongue rasp gently over his ears as she comforted him, her tail wrapped around him protectively. When she spoke again, he could tell that her words were directed towards his father's grave this time.

"Our baby is okay," Bluestar whispered, in a voice so soft he almost couldn't hear her. "Our baby is okay."

And despite the lingering ache in his chest, despite the fact that a significant part of him still yearned for his father's presence, somehow, Fireheart knew she was right.


	8. A Hard Lesson

Now that Fireheart had dealt with his issues concerning his feelings towards Bluestar, he was forced to turn his attention to another problem nagging at the back of his mind. Ever since the argument in the middle of the camp between Longtail and Swiftpaw, the tabby warrior had refused to even look his apprentice in the eye, choosing instead to spend his time sulking on solo hunting patrols. Once again, Fireheart, Dustpelt, Sandstorm, and Ravenflight were tasked with the job of mentoring two apprentices–no easy feat, considering they were preparing their own apprentices for their upcoming assessments.

Well, Ravenflight, Dustpelt, and Sandstorm were preparing their apprentices for their upcoming warrior assessments. Fireheart still wasn't completely satisfied with Cinderpaw's training, but he knew that she was well on her way to earning her warrior name as well.

Fireheart glanced across the camp at Swiftpaw, who was talking animatedly with Brackenpaw and Cinderpaw. He was pleased to see that, if nothing else, the other apprentices seemed to be more amiable towards him now. Perhaps getting away from Longtail's influence was all he needed to make a few friends.

_He'll need to take his assessment too, _the flame-pelted warrior noted. _One of us will need to speak to Bluestar soon. _

During the short time that he had spent assisting with Swiftpaw's training, the young apprentice had caught up on almost every skill he'd fallen behind on. He had even managed to beat Dustpelt in a training battle the previous day. That was enough to tell Fireheart that Swiftpaw actually _was _a quick learner and that the real problem had been Longtail's inability to mentor him properly. Already, the black and white tom was nearly ready to earn his warrior name, which was the only reason Fireheart hadn't suggested giving him an official new mentor. No sense in putting that responsibility on another warrior, he decided, when Swiftpaw's training would be finished within less than a moon.

Suddenly, Fireheart was jerked out of his thoughts by the sound of raised voices coming from across the camp. He looked up once more to see Longtail, Swiftpaw, and Dustpelt all growling at each other with their hackles raised. Sighing in exasperation, the flame-pelted warrior stood up and stalked over to the group, all of whom turned their eyes on him as he approached.

"For StarClan's sake, what is going on here?" Fireheart asked irritably. "Honestly, don't the three of you have better things to be doing than starting arguments in the middle of the camp?"

"It's Longtail, Fireheart," Dustpelt replied, which didn't surprise the ginger tom at all. "He's been pestering Swiftpaw, trying to force him to come on a training session with him."

"He's my apprentice. Bluestar didn't change that, so he still has to listen to me," Longtail snarled.

"Longtail, forgive me if I'm mistaken here, but it was _you _who said that you weren't going to train Swiftpaw anymore," Fireheart snapped. "You told him, and I quote, _'__Good luck finding someone who actually wants to mentor a hopeless case like you'_. There doesn't need to be a ceremony to strip you of your mentorship. You threw it away all on your own, and you have no right now to pretend as if it never happened."

"I deserve–"

"You deserve nothing," Fireheart interrupted coldly. "You're a senior warrior, Longtail, but you behave like a kit. No, worse than that. You're nothing but a pathetic excuse for a warrior who tries desperately to emulate Tigerclaw and Darkstripe. It's pitiful, really. Ever since I met you, I haven't seen you do anything except bully those whom you deem weaker than you while sucking up to anyone you think might be able to protect you. I thought you could change for the better after Tigerclaw and Darkstripe left, but clearly, that hasn't happened. If anything, your behavior has gotten worse. You will leave Swiftpaw alone _now_, and you are not to speak to him unless he comes to you first. In fact, you're to stay away from all of the apprentices. Do I make myself clear?"

Longtail glared at him, unsheathing his claws. "Last time I checked, you weren't our leader."

"Last time _I _checked, neither were you," Fireheart replied, still keeping his voice as cold as ever. "You may not like me, Longtail, but I am still your deputy, and that means I have authority over you. If you have a problem with that, well, no one is going to stop you from leaving and joining your old idols."

"You should never have been made Clan deputy in the first place," the pale tabby spat. "The only reason Bluestar picked you was that you're her kit."

For a moment, Fireheart was tempted to roll his eyes. It was rather ironic of Longtail to accuse anyone of being picked for any sort of honor due to favoritism as if the only reason he'd been chosen as Swiftpaw's mentor didn't happen to be his connection to Tigerclaw (still a trusted warrior at the time). Well, he supposed he didn't have proof of that, but it was the only explanation that made sense. Longtail was a below-average warrior at best, and besides that, there had been other more qualified warriors who could have taken Swiftpaw instead.

"We can have that discussion another time," he meowed, barely keeping his tone neutral. "But thank you, Longtail. You've just given me an idea for the perfect punishment for you. Since you see fit to behave like a kit, perhaps you'd also like to live as one as well. For the next moon, you are not to leave the camp unless given permission by a warrior or one of the queens. You will sleep in the nursery, and you will play moss ball with the other kits. You will listen to the elders and queens when they tell stories of ancient Clans. If, after one moon passes, your behavior has improved, I will allow you to resume your warrior duties. If not, then another moon will be added to your punishment. You will keep your name, but that is all."

Longtail stared at him in horror as Dustpelt and the apprentices tried and failed to stifle their snickers. Fireheart regarded the pale tabby coolly as he opened and closed his mouth like some sort of dying fish. Maybe the punishment was a bit harsh, but in his eyes, it was more than justified. He had given Longtail multiple opportunities to change himself, and he had rejected every single one of them. If this was what it took for Longtail to start acting his age, then it was a necessary evil.

Finally, after several heartbeats of silence, Longtail finally found his voice. "You can't do that!" the tabby warrior protested. "I'm a warrior, not a kit! You can't force me to pretend to be one!"

"You might have a warrior name, but that doesn't make you a real warrior," Fireheart replied in a tone that invited no argument. "You've done nothing to prove to anyone that you deserve your name or your position in the Clan. You're surly and unhelpful when things don't go your way, you harass your Clanmates when they've made it clear that they don't want anything to do with you, and you cannot take responsibility for your actions, ever. I have not once heard you apologize or own up to your mistakes. Now, I would have sent you to live as an apprentice, but even they have more sense than you, and besides that, I don't think it's a good idea for Swiftpaw to have to deal with you. So there you have it. You're going to live as a kit for one moon, and that's final."

"Bluestar will never allow this!" Longtail spat.

"Once Bluestar hears about what happened, I think she'll agree with me," Fireheart meowed calmly. Turning his back on the pale tabby, he addressed Dustpelt next, "Dustpelt, come with me. I'm going to inform the queens of what has happened, and I want you to move Longtail's nest in there for me."

Dustpelt was still snickering, but he managed a brief nod. Together, the two warriors stalked off in the direction of the warriors' den, leaving a stunned and furious Longtail behind them. Fireheart resisted the urge to look back, telling himself that he couldn't afford to appear as though he were wavering now.

"Maybe I went a little too far," he murmured, half to himself.

"I wouldn't say that," Dustpelt meowed, obviously having heard every word. "It's certainly an unconventional punishment...but I think Longtail has proven that traditional punishments won't teach him a lesson."

"Perhaps," Fireheart meowed distractedly. He had just noticed Bluestar coming over to speak to him. "Er, Dustpelt, do you mind telling the queens what happened for me? I think Bluestar needs to talk to me."

"Sure, of course," the brown tabby agreed.

Fireheart nodded gratefully, then turned around and padded over to his mother. He dipped his head to her respectfully, allowing her to touch her nose briefly to his head.

"Is there something wrong, Bluestar?" he asked.

"I overheard what happened with Longtail," the ThunderClan leader meowed, and Fireheart winced. "Fireheart, I'm not going to say you were wrong in doing that–perhaps it was a bit far, but it was justified. But in the future, I would appreciate it if you came to me first when dealing with Clan drama. I am still your leader, and I need to know what's going on in my Clan at all times. What's more, you're still young and like it or not, there are some things you still need to learn when it comes to leadership."

"Such as?"

"Staying patient, for one," Bluestar replied. "And I don't mean staying patient the way you have with Cinderpaw, because you've done a fine job of that. I'm talking about in regards to dealing with misbehavior. You're quick to lay down the law and you certainly don't take any nonsense, and while those are admirable traits that you will need when and if you take over as Clan leader, there are times when you'll need to look at the bigger picture instead of dealing out punishments the moment a cat steps out of line."

"I understand, Bluestar," Fireheart meowed respectfully. He hesitated, then asked, "Do you think I went too far?"

"I might not have gone as far as you did," the blue-furred molly acknowledged. "But you were doing the best you could, and if this teaches Longtail a lesson, then it will have been worth it. Don't worry, Fireheart. You've been doing a fine job as my deputy so far. I just need you to know that you don't have to deal with everything on your own."

Fireheart nodded and allowed Bluestar to lick his ears gently. Despite her reassurance that she agreed with his punishment, he couldn't suppress a twinge of guilt. He prayed to StarClan that, if nothing else, Longtail would finally learn his lesson. If this didn't do the trick, then nothing else would.

* * *

**Well, the moment of truth for Longtail has arrived. Fireheart doesn't screw around, lol. Don't worry, he will get his redemption arc. To be honest, this is a precursor of sorts for his arc. I'm just giving him a little more character development since he isn't being overshadowed by Tigerclaw and Darkstripe now. **

**Responses to a few reviews: **

**Shadowwolf1997 and Spongekit36: Since I'm responding to the same part of your reviews, I'm putting down one response for both of you. The way Fireheart addresses Bluestar honestly depends on circumstance. When he's in front of the other Clans, he'll refer to her by her real name. He'll usually call her "Bluestar" or "Mother" in front of his Clanmates, and "Mama" is reserved for moments that have some sort of emotional connection to them. He might be a bit more on the mature side, but he's always been a mother's boy and that still shows even now. And yeah, showing him Thrushpelt's grave was a bit strange, but like...I'm trying to make family actually _mean _something here. **

**MapleleafOfThunderClan: Sorry! It's just been incredibly hectic for me during these past few days. Don't worry, I'm not about to abandon this story. **

**Tiaqua Neptune: Yay! **

**Thanks for reading! **

**-TheShadowedWarrior**


	9. Rock, Meet Bottom

Longtail curled up outside the nursery, turning his back to the rest of the Clan as they enjoyed the warm sunshine. A few tail-lengths away, Fireheart's kits were playing a game of moss ball with Bramblekit and Tawnykit, and Longtail fought the urge to claw their ears. It was all very well for them, but a warrior such as himself had no business being stuck in the nursery with a bunch of mewling brats. Of course, he knew that it wasn't the kits' fault that he was stuck there, but he was too angry and resentful to care who he was taking it out on.

The queens hadn't been sympathetic either. When he complained that Fireheart was being unfairly harsh on him because of their rivalry, Speckletail had simply told him to grow up.

"You were disrespectful, and you got punished for it. Learn to live with the consequences of your actions," she had meowed bluntly.

Longtail growled under his breath, lashing his tail. It wasn't fair. If Tigerclaw had tried to humiliate Fireheart in this way, Bluestar would have put a stop to it immediately. However, because he was her son, she allowed that filthy kittypet to do whatever he wanted. Bluestar had always cared more about Fireheart than any other warrior in the Clan, even more than the ones who were actually _important_, and here was the final proof. She hadn't even said a word about Fireheart undermining Longtail's mentoring abilities.

Before Fireheart had returned to ThunderClan, he had been flying high. He had passed his warrior assessment with high praise, he was friends with the strongest warrior the forest had ever seen, and his Clanmates constantly whispered about how he would do great things for ThunderClan. Now, however, he was alone and friendless, his apprentice preferred his sworn enemy as his mentor over him, and every time a cat spoke about him, it was contemptuous and dismissive.

Part of Longtail wondered if he should have gone with Tigerclaw and Darkstripe the day the former deputy was exiled. But even as the thought crossed his mind, the pale tabby knew he would never do such a thing. He might not feel any loyalty towards Fireheart, but he was still loyal to ThunderClan, and he couldn't bring himself to follow a traitor. There were some matters that went beyond petty in-Clan rivalries, and this was certainly one of them.

"Are you _still _sulking out here?"

Longtail looked up to see Sandstorm staring at him, an irritated expression on her face. He turned away from her sharply, receiving an exasperated sigh from the pale ginger queen in response.

"It's been four days," she meowed incredulously. "And still, you've learned absolutely nothing. All you ever do is sit around feeling sorry for yourself. You were given this punishment to teach you a lesson, Longtail. I suggest you start figuring out what it is."

"He wasn't trying to teach me a lesson," Longtail snarled. "The only reason Fireheart sent me here is that he doesn't like me. He's just trying to get revenge because he's upset that I didn't bend over and worship him the way the rest of the Clan did. This is an abuse of power, and Bluestar should have stripped him of his deputyship!"

"For your information, Longtail, no one cares about how _you _feel about your punishment," Sandstorm snapped back. "Your opinion is not important here. But even if it was, all you're doing right now is proving Fireheart's point. You've been given a chance to reflect on your behavior, but you're choosing to ignore it in favor of blaming my mate for your problems once again–exactly as a kit would do. _That _is why you have been sent to the nursery, and you have no right to say that it's an abuse of power because if anything, it's the exact opposite."

"That's not fair!" Longtail protested. "What about Fireheart? He's our deputy; shouldn't he be treating me with respect? All he ever does is criticize and insult me!"

"And why should he do anything else? You haven't earned anything except criticism from him," the pale ginger molly retorted. "Ever since he came back to ThunderClan, you've done nothing but antagonize him at every turn. Why should he respect you or treat you with respect? What have you done to deserve it?"

Longtail couldn't believe what he was hearing. "We're Clanmates," he meowed incredulously. "Isn't _that _enough reason for him to treat me with at least some decency?"

"Well, it obviously wasn't enough for you, so why do you expect it to be enough for Fireheart?" Sandstorm shot back.

He opened his mouth to respond, but he found that he couldn't think of anything to say. As much as he hated to admit it, there was a grain of truth to Sandstorm's words. Longtail hadn't made any effort to be remotely cordial towards Fireheart even though they had been Clanmates for several moons. Instead, he had chosen to insult and mock him whenever the opportunity presented itself, even going so far as to taunt him about Cinderpaw's injury.

"It isn't fair to Fireheart to expect him to be the mature one, especially seeing as you're older and you've never attempted to act your age," Sandstorm continued, her eyes narrowed. "He hasn't done anything except what his job requires him to do: deal with misbehaving cats and punish them accordingly. You're the only one in the wrong here, Longtail, and if you don't see that, then there's nothing anyone can do to help you. So feel free to sit there and sulk as long as you want. Nothing is going to change."

With that, she turned around and stalked over to where her kits were still playing happily. Longtail stared after the pale ginger molly, too stunned to continue their argument. Was she telling the truth? Was this punishment really entirely his own fault?

_No, that can't be right,_ he argued with himself. _Maybe I haven't always been friendly with him, but it's not as if he's made any effort to be nice to me either. Sandstorm is wrong. Fireheart is our deputy; he should be the mature one. _

The pale tabby let out a growl, turning and resting his head on his paws. If the rest of the Clan wanted to side with Fireheart and let him get away with abusing his power, that was just fine with him. They were well within their rights to be as blind to the kittypet's faults as they wanted. Sooner or later, his punishment would end, and Longtail would be sure to get back at his enemy in any way possible.

In the midst of his sulking, Longtail failed to realize that he had company for several heartbeats. Therefore, he was rather startled when he turned his head to see a blue-gray kit sitting beside him, gazing up at him with wide, innocent eyes. He leaped to his paws, hissing.

"Get away from me!" Longtail spat. While he had nothing against Rainkit personally, her appearance reminded him all too much of Bluestar and Fireheart's relation to each other, and, by extent, the only reason the ginger tom had been picked as Clan deputy in the first place. Longtail wanted nothing to do with this pathetic scrap of fur that was a visual reminder of everyone that had led to his humiliation.

Rainkit just sat there, tilting her head to the side a little. She didn't even make a sound, which unnerved Longtail. Usually, with kits, it was impossible to get them to quiet down. What was the matter with this one?

"Trying to be cute, are you? Well, it's not going to work," he snapped. "Go on, get lost, you stupid little brat. Go find someone who wants to put up with you."

But Rainkit looked so sad, so hurt, that despite himself, Longtail found his heart softening ever so slightly. He couldn't hate this little kit. It wasn't her fault that Fireheart had some sort of personal vendetta against him. No, it was only that filthy kittypet who was to blame.

Sighing, Longtail lay down again, allowing Rainkit to come and sit beside him. "Fine, you can stay."

"Just make sure to keep quiet."


	10. Milestones

While Longtail was busy bonding with Rainkit, Bluestar had other issues to deal with. Fireheart approached her about a quarter moon after the pale tabby's punishment had been dealt out and informed her that Sandstorm, Ravenflight, and Runningwind thought their apprentices were ready for their assessments.

"And I'd like to recommend that Swiftpaw take his assessment as well, if I may," he added.

"Of course," Bluestar meowed kindly. "Would you like Cinderpaw to receive hers as well?"

However, her son just shook his head. "She's come a long way and her technique is good for the most part, but her battle instincts aren't quite where I want them to be," he meowed. "There are still times when she needs me to guide her through a practice battle. I want her to reach a point where she doesn't need my help before I hold her assessment."

"Very well," Bluestar agreed. "You can inform your friends that their apprentices will have their warrior assessments today. Report back to me when they return. If all goes well, then we can hold the naming ceremony at sunset."

"Thank you, Bluestar," Fireheart meowed, dipping his head to her. "I'll go inform them now."

Bluestar nodded and licked her kit's forehead affectionately before allowing him to walk across the camp to his friends, who were sharing an afternoon meal together. Together, the five of them approached the apprentices, all of whom looked up at them curiously. Even from where she stood, it was easy to see the excitement on their faces as they were informed of what was to happen later that day–that is, assuming their final assessments went according to plan.

Fireheart meowed something to Cinderpaw, who was looking a little crestfallen. Bluestar suspected that the younger molly was feeling a little left out, considering she was the only one of her siblings who wasn't going to receive her warrior name on time. Fortunately, whatever the flame-pelted warrior said must have done the trick, for she cheered up almost immediately and gave Brightpaw–who happened to be the closest–an affectionate nudge of congratulations.

The apprentices all bounded for the gorse tunnel, with the older cats following more slowly. Chuckling at their enthusiasm, Bluestar turned to head over to visit the nursery for a bit before she was to head off to her den for a short nap. But before then, she needed to figure out what names to give the five soon-to-be warriors of ThunderClan.

* * *

Even though holding a final assessment was a Clan tradition, Bluestar knew that there was no real need for Swiftpaw, Brightpaw, Thornpaw, and Brackenpaw to have theirs. It was easy to see that all four of them were more than ready to become warriors. Frostfur's kits were all naturally gifted hunters and fighters, and Swiftpaw had worked extra hard to catch up, even after spending several moons under Longtail's less than ideal tutelage.

So she was unsurprised, therefore, when they returned to the camp with their eyes shining and their tails held high.

"They passed," Fireheart told her, his eyes glowing with pride. If she hadn't known any better, Bluestar would have thought that he was about to see his own apprentice receive her warrior name. "With flying colors, I might add."

"Excellent," Bluestar purred. "We'll hold the naming ceremony at sunset, then."

"That's not long from now," her son pointed out. "Have you picked out their warrior names already?"

"Of course," she replied in a mock arrogant voice. "It's the duty of a Clan leader to be prepared for anything, after all."

Fireheart rolled his eyes playfully. "But of course," he replied with an overly humble bow. "How very preposterous of me to assume otherwise. I do hope you will find it in your heart to accept my most sincere apologies, O Wise and Noble Mother."

"Well, since you asked so nicely," Bluestar meowed haughtily before the two of them broke into peals of laughter.

Once they had managed to calm down, she told her son to go fetch himself a piece of fresh-kill before the naming ceremony. She watched as Fireheart picked up a vole from the prey pile, which he then carried over to share with Sandstorm. The pale ginger queen licked her mate's cheek affectionately, and Fireheart touched his nose gently to her forehead.

"Those two are happy, aren't they?" Whitestorm remarked from beside her. Bluestar jumped, startled. She hadn't noticed him approaching.

"Of course," the blue-gray molly meowed, forcing her fur to lie flat. "You know how young cats in love are, Whitestorm. After all, I do remember that you and Rosetail were the ones who played matchmaker for Brindleface and Redtail."

"Well, someone had to do something," her nephew replied, flicking his tail unapologetically. "At least Fireheart and Sandstorm didn't need any prompting."

Bluestar rolled her eyes and wondered, not for the first time if they needed to stop getting involved with the relationships of their Clanmates.

"It's nearly sunset now," Whitestorm meowed suddenly, glancing up at the sky. "Shouldn't we be starting the naming ceremony now?"

"Yes, yes, of course," Bluestar meowed. Bounding on top of the Highrock, she yowled, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting."

From her perch on the top of the large rock, she watched as her Clan slowly made their way over to sit at the base. Fireheart and Sandstorm sat together near the center of the clearing, while Ravenflight and Dustpelt sat a little ways behind them. Even Longtail was watching her with interest, although he was forced to sit outside the nursery due to his punishment. Bluestar purred with amusement as she watched Rainkit bound over to sit beside him, nearly tripping over her paws.

Fireheart noticed it as well. While he didn't look pleased–he never did when it came to Longtail–his expression wasn't nearly as hostile as it usually was whenever the pale tabby crossed his line of vision. Indeed, he seemed almost appraising. Sandstorm meowed something to him, and he gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Last but not least came the apprentices. They padded over to stand directly in front of Bluestar, their pelts groomed and their eyes shining with pride and excitement. Bluestar looked over each of them approvingly. All four of them had worked hard to reach this milestone, and she felt no concerns as she spoke the words that signaled the beginning of the ceremony.

"I, Bluestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn," she began. "Swiftpaw, please step forward."

The black and white tom took a step forward, his body trembling with excitement. Bluestar could still remember how nervous he had been during his apprentice ceremony. He showed none of that timid nature now. His posture exuded confidence, and there was wisdom behind the eagerness in his amber eyes that was atypical of a cat his age.

"Swiftpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Bluestar asked.

"I do," Swiftpaw replied, his voice clear and strong.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Swiftpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Swiftrunner. StarClan honors your endurance and your courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan," she meowed.

She rested her muzzle on Swiftrunner's forehead, and the young warrior licked her shoulder respectfully. He stepped back and padded over to sit beside Fireheart and Sandstorm as he waited for his denmates to receive their warrior names.

"Brightpaw," Bluestar meowed, turning to the ginger and white molly next. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Brightpaw answered.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Brightpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Brightheart. StarClan honors your kindness and your quick wit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Once again, she rested her muzzle on the new warrior's head, and Brightheart licked her shoulder respectfully in response. She went over to join Swiftrunner, and the two of them watched Brightheart's two siblings with eagerness apparent in their eyes.

Bluestar repeated the ceremony two more times, giving Brackenpaw and Thornpaw the names Brackenfur and Thornclaw, respectively. Once she had finished, the entire Clan broke out into cheers for the four new warriors.

"Swiftrunner! Brightheart! Thornclaw! Brackenfur!"

Cinderpaw bounded up to her siblings, nudging them all affectionately. "Congratulations!" she purred, her blue eyes shining. "I knew you could do it!"

"I'm sorry you couldn't be with us today, Cinderpaw," Thornclaw apologized.

However, the dark gray molly brushed it off. "Don't worry about it," she meowed cheerfully. "My time will come, just you wait. You're not going to escape me forever."

_That's true, _Bluestar thought with amusement. _But perhaps I should say something so that she knows the rest of the Clan can see how far she's come along as well. _

Eventually, the cheers subsided. The Clan turned to face Bluestar again, waiting to hear if she had anything else to add to the meeting.

"Before we close today's meeting, I want to offer my praise to another apprentice," she meowed. "Despite a setback, Cinderpaw has been working hard to receive her warrior name as well. Although she is not yet ready for her ceremony, she has come a long way and I commend her for the progress she has made."

"Cinderpaw! Cinderpaw!" Fireheart, Sandstorm, and Cinderpaw's siblings began to cheer.

"Cinderpaw! Cinderpaw!" The rest of the Clan quickly took up the call as well. Bluestar saw Frostfur gazing at her kits with all the mother's love in the world. Was Lionheart watching his children as well? Did he approve of the names she had picked out for them?

"As per tradition, these four warriors will spend one night in a silent vigil, guarding over our camp," Bluestar meowed once the Clan had quieted down. "That is all. Meeting dismissed."

She leaped down from the Highrock as the Clan dispersed, all of them going their separate ways. Some of them headed for the fresh-kill pile, but most of the Clan padded to their respective dens. It had been a long day–a good day, but albeit a long one–and they needed to be sharp and ready for when morning arrived.

* * *

** New warriors for ThunderClan! I know I gave Swiftpaw the name Swiftshade in my Bitter Repercussions fanfic, but I decided that I liked the name Swiftrunner better. I was also going to give Brightheart a different suffix, but I couldn't think of another one to give her. Let's just say that she was named after her father, maybe? **

**Responses to a few reviews: **

**Shadowwolf1997: As of now, everyone has more or less figured out the truth. Things get around, you know. And yes, Rainkit is a blessing. **

**Spongekit36: Ah, Rainkit is just a special bean, isn't she? She can make anyone love her. I haven't exactly figured out if I'll include the Long x Mouse ship, but I will say that Rainkit definitely isn't going to be Longtail's mate. As for how old they are, all of Fireheart's kits are roughly three moons old. **

**Muziccat91: In this AU, mentors are a little more involved with teaching their apprentices than in canon. They usually start off by teaching them the basics of each move, then once their apprentices are ready, they guide them through a practice battle. As time passes, they slowly stop guiding them through the battles, which allows the apprentices to smoothly transition from a commanded battle to a purely instinctive battle. **

**Pkk: Yes, little Rainkit is quite adorable, isn't she? Don't worry, I have big plans for her and Longtail. **

**Thanks for reading! **

**-TheShadowedWarrior**


	11. ShadowClan Sickness

Two days after Swiftrunner, Brightheart, Thornclaw, and Brackenfur had earned their warrior names, a patrol came bursting into the camp with the news that they had found two ShadowClan warriors asleep on their territory.

"Sleeping?" Bluestar echoed in confusion. She had heard of warriors invading other Clan's territories to steal prey, but never before had a warrior crossed the border and fallen asleep. "Where did you find them?"

"They were underneath the Owl Tree," Runningwind reported. "We were patrolling the border when we found them. But we didn't find any other ShadowClan scent on our territory."

"Just those two?" Fireheart asked.

"Just those two," the tabby warrior confirmed.

Bluestar thought for a few moments. It didn't sound as though they were being invaded, but with ShadowClan, it was impossible to be too careful. Now that she thought about it, though, Nightstar had looked unwell during the last Gathering. Perhaps the two napping ShadowClan warriors had something to do with that.

"Come on, we're going to the Owl Tree," she meowed. "I want to know what these warriors are doing on our territory. Fireheart, go fetch Yellowfang and then meet us at the gorse tunnel."

The flame-colored tom nodded and raced over to the medicine den. A few heartbeats later, he reemerged with Yellowfang following close behind. Once they had caught up with the rest of the patrol, Bluestar turned and led the way out of the camp. Fireheart padded up beside her, and she brushed her tail against his side in greeting.

"Bluestar," he murmured, keeping his voice low so the rest of the patrol wouldn't overhear them. "Do you think I should send a few cats ahead to check for more ShadowClan scent? Just in case any more have come since the patrol got back."

"I don't think that's going to be necessary," Bluestar admitted. "I'm a little suspicious myself, but two sleeping warriors don't sound like much of a threat. If Runningwind says they didn't find anything else, I trust him."

She could tell that Fireheart wasn't fully convinced, but he relented. "Alright," her son agreed. "I guess I'm just a little paranoid is all. Our borders have been oddly peaceful, all things considered. I don't know what's going on now, but if I know one thing, if it concerns ShadowClan, it's probably not good news."

Bluestar privately agreed with him, but she knew that she needed to find out what was going on for herself before she jumped to conclusions. If it turned out that the ShadowClan warriors were a threat, she would be sure to chase them off herself. However, she had no knowledge of their intentions as of yet, and she had to give them a fair hearing. It was the right thing to do, after all.

"I know how you feel," she meowed finally. "But until we know for certain that they're up to no good, I'll give them a chance to explain their side."

"I know," Fireheart admitted. "But it's not just them I'm worried about. We haven't seen hide nor hair of Tigerclaw since he left, and I'd be lying if I said that didn't worry me. He swore vengeance on ThunderClan when he was exiled, but so far, everything has been perfectly peaceful. _Too _peaceful, if you ask me. He isn't the type of cat to let a grudge go, and the only thing we can be assured of is that he isn't being sheltered by one of the other Clans since you told them about what happened. But we have no idea where he might be or what he might be up to."

"I see what you're saying," Bluestar meowed. "Perhaps we should think about increasing border patrols. That way, we can keep everyone on their toes."

"I think that would be a good idea," Fireheart agreed, sounding relieved. "Thanks, Bluestar. I know I sound paranoid, but that would make me feel a lot better."

Soon after, the patrol arrived at the Owl Tree. There, just as Runningwind had told them, were the two sleeping ShadowClan warriors. They were awfully thin and reeked of sickness, but Bluestar just barely recognized them as Littlecloud and Whitethroat. She padded forward and prodded each of them awake with her paw, and the two warriors sat bolt upright, blinking fearfully at the sight of the ThunderClan patrol. The ThunderClan leader felt her heart twist with sympathy. It was obvious that these bedraggled cats didn't mean any harm to ThunderClan.

"Littlecloud, Whitethroat," she meowed calmly. "Tell us why you are on our territory."

Whitethroat was the one who spoke up. "We–we came to ask your Clan for herbs," he wheezed. "Our Clan is sick and our medicine cat can do nothing to help us. Nightstar has been unable to leave his den since the last Gathering. The Clan is afraid it's going to lose him."

"But it's only been a few moons since he became your leader. Surely he must have plenty of lives left," Fireheart pointed out, sounding puzzled.

But Bluestar wasn't too sure about that herself. Nightstar had already been an elder when he took over as leader of ShadowClan, and it wouldn't have surprised her if his health wasn't as good as it used to be. StarClan might be able to grant nine lives to a chosen leader, but not even they could undo the strain of aging on a cat's body.

Before she could speak up, however, Yellowfang stepped forward. The old gray molly bared her teeth at her former Clanmates, who shrunk back against her hostility.

"Go home. We have no herbs for you," she meowed harshly.

"Yellowfang, what–?" Bluestar began, shocked at the medicine cat's aggressiveness towards her former Clanmates. She knew that Yellowfang was utterly loyal to ThunderClan now, but this lack of sympathy seemed uncharacteristically cruel.

"I'm sorry Bluestar, but we cannot help them. They carry a sickness I've seen in ShadowClan before," Yellowfang meowed grimly. "We were never able to find a cure for it, and it killed off half the Clan when it last spread. ShadowClan was forced to take in outsiders so we wouldn't be overrun by the other Clans." To the ShadowClan warriors, she added, "This sickness can only be spread by the rats in Carrionplace. How did one of those come to be in the fresh-kill pile?"

"An apprentice brought a rat back. It was his first time out and he didn't know any better," Littlecloud explained. He coughed violently, then pleaded, "Please, will you send your medicine cat to help us? If she and Runningnose worked together, surely they could figure out what to do."

Bluestar hesitated for a few moments. She couldn't deny that she was sympathetic to the ShadowClan warriors' plight, but if Yellowfang said there was no cure, it was unlikely that they would find one in time to save their Clan. Most medical cures didn't fall from the sky, after all.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that," she meowed finally. She felt sorry for them, but she knew it was a sacrifice she couldn't afford to make. "ThunderClan only has one medicine cat, and none of our apprentices are in training to replace her if necessary. I cannot afford to put her life at risk."

"Please!" Littlecloud begged. "Our Clan will die without your help."

"Have you considered going to one of the other Clans?" Brightheart suggested.

"We tried WindClan already. They told us the same thing, that they weren't going to put their medicine cat at risk," Whitethroat meowed hoarsely. "And no one is strong enough to make it all the way to RiverClan. It took all of our strength just to get to your territory. Littlecloud was nearly hit by a monster."

"Bluestar," Fireheart meowed slowly. "Before she died, Spottedleaf used to spend evenings teaching me about different herbs. Maybe I could–"

"No," Bluestar interrupted. "Absolutely not, Fireheart."

The ginger tom stared at her. "But if I could help–"

"_No, _Fireheart," Bluestar repeated firmly. She knew she was being harsh, but the thought of possibly losing her kit to that terrible sickness was too much to bear. "You're our Clan deputy, not a medicine cat. Your duty is to your Clan and your Clan only."

Fireheart's eyes blazed with anger, and for a moment, it looked as though he would continue arguing. Then he exhaled deeply, turning away sharply to face Littlecloud and Whitethroat again.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "But if my leader says that I cannot help you, I must obey."

"That's okay, Fireheart. We appreciate the offer anyway," Whitethroat meowed morosely.

"You must leave our territory now," Bluestar ordered. "Dustpelt, Runningwind, you two will see them to the border. The rest of you, come with me. We're going back home now."

She waited until everyone had assembled and was walking back in the direction of the camp, then fell back to walk beside Fireheart in the back of the group. Her son's pelt was still prickling with anger, and he jerked away when he noticed that she was there.

"Fireheart, I–" Bluestar began, but he cut her off.

"I never thought you of all cats would be so heartless as to send innocent warriors to die," he hissed, glaring balefully at her.

"Fireheart, it's not that simple," Bluestar sighed. "Believe me, I would like nothing more than to be able to help. But right now, our Clan isn't in a good position to be able to do that."

"But you didn't even offer them any herbs," Fireheart meowed accusingly. "You just sent them on their way. Back to their camp of dead and dying warriors, to try to survive a sickness that apparently can't be cured. Surely it wouldn't have hurt to make their journey a little more comfortable."

"Those are the types of decisions a Clan leader has to make," Bluestar meowed gently. "The needs and safety of the Clan must always come first, and if that means we can't afford to help out our enemies in times of trouble, that's the way it has to be. One day, you'll understand."

At long last, her words seemed to reach her son. He relaxed visibly, and the anger in his eyes dimmed to be replaced by weariness. Bluestar licked his ears gently, and he brushed his flank against hers.

"I know," Fireheart murmured. "I just hate to have to turn away a cat in need. Even if I'm not fond of ShadowClan, surely they don't deserve this."

"I understand," Bluestar meowed softly. "But you have no need to worry, my precious kit. StarClan will see to it that ShadowClan is able to overcome this. They have decreed that there must be four Clans in the forest, and that's the way it will remain. They're not going to allow an entire Clan to be wiped out by sickness."

"I suppose that's true," the flame-pelted warrior agreed. He shook his head slightly. "Well, we should probably hurry up and get back home. I'm sure Squirrelkit has probably destroyed the nursery out of boredom by now."

Bluestar chuckled and together, the two cats padded back into the camp, content in the knowledge that, if nothing else, at least their Clan was safe from danger.


	12. Bullying

Fireheart had just returned from a long afternoon of training with Cinderpaw when a high-pitched wail rose from outside the nursery. Worried that something had happened to one of the kits, he rushed over to the nursery, where he discovered Squirrelkit and Spotkit standing over a clearly distressed Bramblekit.

"But I don't _want _to pretend to be Tigerclaw!" Bramblekit wailed.

"Well, we need _someone _to pretend to be a traitor so we can play our game," Squirrelkit meowed.

"Yeah, and you're Tigerclaw's son, so you would be perfect," Spotkit added.

Fireheart decided that now would be the best time to intervene. He cleared his throat, causing all three kits to look up at him. Squirrelkit and Spotkit's eyes widened with fear at the sight of their father standing in front of them. Fireheart, for his part, was having trouble keeping his anger and disappointment off his face.

"Bramblekit," he meowed calmly. "Will you go play with your sister? I need to speak to these two."

"O-okay, Fireheart," Bramblekit agreed timidly, scampering over to where Tawnykit was playing with Rainkit and Redkit. Longtail sat a few tail-lengths away, watching them with mild interest.

Once he was out of earshot, Fireheart turned to his own kits and glared down at them. Spotkit shrunk back against his obvious fury, but Squirrelkit just stared back defiantly.

"What did you think you were doing?" he demanded. "Have Sandstorm and I taught you nothing? We expect you to treat your denmates with respect. You had both better have a good explanation as to why you were bullying Bramblekit."

"It was just a game!" Squirrelkit protested, her green eyes staring indignantly up at Fireheart. "We weren't doing any harm!"

Fireheart narrowed his eyes. "Is that so? Then tell me why your 'game' was upsetting Bramblekit so much."

Squirrelkit didn't look at all abashed. "How should I know? He always gets all sensitive about his dad anyway."

Fireheart closed his eyes and exhaled deeply, praying to StarClan for patience. He didn't want to cuff his daughter over the ear–in reality, he did and probably would have had he not started repeating the mantra, _I am Squirrelkit's father, a father does not cuff his children's ears__, _over and over–but did she have to be so stubborn and prideful?

"Sooner or later," he meowed finally, once he was able to get some of his anger under control. "You will have to learn that you need to be more considerate of others, Squirrelkit. And that goes for you as well, Spotkit. When someone tells you that they don't like the way you're playing a game, you have to listen to them."

"And furthermore," he continued, "if _I _was a traitor and had been exiled for trying to murder Bluestar, do you think you would be happy if your so-called friends were trying to force you to pretend to be me?"

"I–well, I guess not," Spotkit admitted, looking properly ashamed.

"Remember that, then, the next time you decide to bully Bramblekit," Fireheart replied.

"I still don't see what the big deal is," Squirrelkit muttered, her voice so low that Fireheart almost couldn't make out what she was saying. "It's not like we were saying that Bramblekit is actually evil."

"Squirrelkit, I've just about had enough of your behavior," Fireheart snapped, and for the first time, the defiance in the little molly's eyes changed to shock. "Your mother and I raised you to be better than this. I cannot even begin to express how disappointed I am in you. You know, if you want, I can always tell Bluestar to delay your apprentice ceremony. Then you can be stuck in the nursery while your littermates are training to become warriors."

"You wouldn't do that!" Squirrelkit protested, her green eyes wide. "That's not fair!"

"No? Well, then maybe you should start learning to be kinder and more respectful to your denmates," Fireheart meowed coldly. "A bully has no place among the warriors in ThunderClan. You will spend the rest of the day in the nursery, and when Sandstorm comes back from her hunt, I will be sure to tell her about your behavior today. And I expect you to apologize to Bramblekit as well–_sincerely_, Squirrelkit."

For a few heartbeats, Squirrelkit stared at him with wide, hurt-filled eyes. Then her tail drooped and she trudged her way into the nursery. Fireheart let out a sigh and turned his attention to Spotkit, who had watched him scolding his sister in silence.

"Now, Spotkit," the flame-pelted warrior meowed, his voice much calmer than before. "I still expect you to apologize to Bramblekit as well. But once you've done that, you're welcome to play with him again–that is, provided he still wants to play with you."

Spotkit nodded. "Okay, Fireheart," he agreed, racing over to where Bramblekit was playing moss ball with Tawnykit.

Fireheart watched as his son meowed something to the dark tabby kit, his head bowed contritely. He couldn't quite make out what was being said, but based on Bramblekit's happy little nod, he guessed that everything had been smoothed over between them. His suspicions were confirmed when Spotkit immediately joined in on the game of moss ball, batting the plaything over to Rainkit.

The flame-colored tom let out a sigh, turning around and padding across the camp to the fresh-kill pile. Picking up a squirrel, he carried it over to where Ravenflight and Dustpelt were sharing a meal with Brightheart and Swiftrunner. All four cats looked up at him, nodding in greeting when he sat down with them.

"Trouble with the kits?" Ravenflight asked sympathetically.

"You could say that," Fireheart grunted, taking a bite out of his mouse. "Squirrelkit and Spotkit were giving Bramblekit a hard time."

"But I bet you sorted them out," Swiftrunner meowed.

"Spotkit, yes," Fireheart replied. "But I'm not sure about Squirrelkit. She didn't seem to think that she had done anything wrong. I just sent her back to her nest and told her to wait for Sandstorm to deal with her."

"That's kits for you," Ravenflight meowed sympathetically. "They don't really know when they've gone too far. That's why it's the Clan's job to teach them."

"You're right," Fireheart agreed, letting out a sigh. "I do hate to have to be harsh with her, but sometimes, it seems to be the only thing that works."

"She is a stubborn one," Dustpelt agreed. "But she'll grow out of it in time, Fireheart. Don't worry so much. Discipline is just a part of life, and I'm sure Squirrelkit understands that. Things will improve as she gets older."

Fireheart wanted to believe that his friend was telling the truth. But Squirrelkit had looked so dejected when he sent her to her nest that it was hard to feel as though he had done the right thing. Of course, the logical part of his mind told him that he had–after all, it wasn't as though he'd said anything cruel–but he hadn't intended to upset her.

At that moment, the gorse tunnel rustled as Sandstorm pushed her way inside, carrying three large, juicy rabbits and two squirrels in her jaws. Shaking off his thoughts, Fireheart rose to his paws and padded over to his mate as she was depositing her load in the fresh-kill pile.

"Good hunting today?" he asked, touching his nose briefly to hers.

"Great, actually. StarClan has definitely blessed us this season," Sandstorm replied.

"That's great, Sandstorm. Listen, there's something I need to talk to you about," Fireheart meowed, and he quickly explained what had happened between their kits and Bramblekit while she was gone, including punishing Squirrelkit by sending her to her nest. When he was done, there was an expression of pure shock and disappointment on Sandstorm's face.

"Spotkit apologized already, and everything seems to be fixed between him and Bramblekit now," he finished. "But Squirrelkit didn't seem all that interested in apologizing. I told her that you would deal with her when you got back from your hunt."

"I think I'll go do that right now," Sandstorm meowed, her eyes narrowed. "Thank you, Fireheart. You can count on me to set our daughter straight."

Fireheart nodded and watched as the pale ginger queen stalked over to the nursery, disappearing inside the thicket of brambles. Once she had gone, he turned around and went to rejoin his friends. He settled himself down in front of his mouse again, relieved that the conversation with Sandstorm had gone well.

"How did everything go?" Brightheart asked.

"It went alright," Fireheart answered. "She's going to talk to Squirrelkit now."

"You're lucky that Sandstorm is such a great cat. A lot of queens never discipline their kits because they think they can do no wrong," Dustpelt meowed offhandedly. "Just imagine if Speckletail was your mate instead."

"I know," Fireheart agreed, wincing at the thought. Although a fierce and well-respected warrior among the nursery queens, Speckletail was protective and soft with her son, Snowkit, almost to a fault. He suspected that losing her daughter, Mistlekit, had caused her to love her only remaining kit even more fiercely. If he had told her that he had caught Snowkit bullying a denmate, she probably would have clawed his ears off.

His gaze drifted back over to the nursery, and he saw that Sandstorm was leading a sullen-looking Squirrelkit over to where the other kits were playing. As he watched, Squirrelkit approached Bramblekit slowly and meowed what he assumed was an apology. Bramblekit nodded and flicked her shoulder with his tail, obviously having forgiven her. The little ginger molly nodded, but then turned away and went to sit by herself, still looking rather dispirited.

Fireheart sighed and got up again, walking back over to his daughter. When she saw him approaching, Squirrelkit looked down at her paws, and he felt a twinge of guilt. Had he really upset her that much?

"Squirrelkit," Fireheart meowed calmly. "Come over here."

For a moment, he thought that Squirrelkit was going to ignore him. Then, slowly, she padded over to him, dragging her tail on the ground behind her. She sat down in front of him, gazing up at him with sorrowful green eyes.

"Squirrelkit," Fireheart began gently. "Do you understand why your mother and I had to punish you today?"

"I...yes," Squirrelkit replied quietly.

"Tell me," he prompted.

"Because I was being mean to Bramblekit," she meowed, her voice barely audible. A bit louder, she added, "But I wasn't _trying _to be mean. I just wanted to play a game."

"I know, Squirrelkit, but you have to understand that someone else might take your intentions the wrong way. And from where I came from, it did look as though you were taunting Bramblekit about his father," Fireheart explained.

"I understand, Fireheart," Squirrelkit meowed contritely. She hesitated for a moment, then added, "Do–do you still like me?"

"Of course I do, sweetheart," Fireheart meowed gently, and the fluffy ginger kit perked up immediately.

"Okay," she meowed happily, turning around and scampering over to join the other kits. Just before she reached them, the little ginger molly turned around one last time. "Come on, Dad! Come play with us! I'm going to beat Spotkit in moss ball this time!"

"No, you're not! I'm still going to win!" Spotkit yowled.

Chuckling to himself, Fireheart padded over to join his kits and their friends. Only time would tell if his lesson had actually gotten through to Squirrelkit, but he could worry about that when the time came. For now, he had a game of moss ball to play.


	13. Speckletail's Request

Not long after the incident with Spotkit, Squirrelkit, and Bramblekit, Fireheart had another nursery inhabitant to occupy his thoughts. Speckletail, the oldest nursery queen, approached him one afternoon and requested that he mentor her son, Snowkit.

"What–you want _me _to mentor Snowkit?" Fireheart asked, startled. He knew–well, most of the Clan knew–that the white kit was deaf and that Speckletail often spent time teaching him various signals in order to communicate, but he had assumed that she would want to mentor him on her own. The ginger tom shook his head in confusion. "Why me?"

"Because he needs someone who can teach him how to become a warrior, and I'm getting too old for that," the tabby queen told him. "I'll be joining the elders soon. But you still have several long seasons ahead of you before it's your time to retire, Fireheart."

"But why _me_?" Fireheart repeated. "There are other warriors who could take him instead."

Speckletail looked at him. "Fireheart," she began quietly. "The only reason Cinderpaw was even allowed to continue training as a warrior after her accident was that _you _spoke up for her. You alone believed that she could become a full warrior even without the use of all four of her legs. Let's be honest. We all know that there isn't anyone in the Clan that thinks Snowkit has a chance. There hasn't been one time in Clan memory where a deaf cat was able to become a warrior. But _you _understand. You've never given up on anyone just because they aren't like all the other normal, healthy warriors. If there's anyone who can train Snowkit, it's you. You _must _be his mentor."

Fireheart could only shake his head, staring at the old molly in stunned silence. He was touched by her faith in him, but he couldn't help feeling as though her hopes of getting him to mentor her son would be disappointed. It wasn't that he didn't want to try–he did–but he couldn't very well mentor _two _apprentices at once. Besides that, mentoring a cat with a crippled leg and mentoring a deaf cat were two very different things.

"I...I can't, Speckletail," Fireheart meowed finally. "What about Cinderpaw? I still have to finish her training, and I can't train both her and Snowkit at the same time. It wouldn't be fair to either of them to have my attention divided."

"I know, Fireheart, and believe me, I'm not asking you to start training Snowkit today," the old queen answered. "I simply want your word that when the time comes, you'll be the one to guide my son. You can do it, Fireheart. I just know you can."

She spoke with such conviction that for a moment, the flame-pelted tom almost believed her. Then he shook his head. It was all very nice, but that didn't change the fact that he knew absolutely nothing about how to communicate with a deaf cat beyond a few very basic signals. Of course, he knew how to say hello and other generic things like that, but he had no idea how he would begin to teach Snowkit how to perform the hunter's crouch or any battle moves through signals alone.

And it wasn't only the moves themselves that were going to be a problem. How was Snowkit supposed to hunt prey when he couldn't hear the sound of his own pawsteps? Fireheart couldn't think of a signal that would work sufficiently in teaching him how to step lightly. The more he thought about it, the more he realized just how impossible it would be to fulfill Speckletail's request.

"I'm sorry, Speckletail," he meowed apologetically. "I want to be able to help, I really do. But I don't think I'm the right cat for this job. You should ask Bluestar and see who she thinks would be a good fit."

"I know I'm asking a lot of you, Fireheart," Speckletail meowed, looking a bit desperate now. "But I know that you're the only cat who can do it. You're the only one who will give Snowkit a fair chance. You believe he can become a warrior after all, don't you?"

Fireheart let out a sigh of mingled exasperation and weariness. "I...I mean, of course, I believe he can," he meowed, barely keeping an edge of frustration out of his voice. "But that isn't all there is to it. I don't know the first thing about communicating with a deaf kit other than the basics. I wouldn't know how to teach him the hunter's crouch through signals, nor would I be able to teach him how to follow commands in a battle when he can't even hear them."

"But you could learn."

"Yes, but it isn't just a question of whether I could learn how to teach him," Fireheart pointed out. "Anyone in the Clan could do that. It's a question of whether or not I have the time to do so, and with my deputy duties and taking care of my kits–not to mention Cinderpaw's training–I just don't see how it's possible on my own."

At last, Speckletail seemed to see the sense in his words. She deflated visibly, her tail drooping with disappointment and the spark of hope quickly deserting her eyes. Despite his misgivings, Fireheart felt a twinge of sorrow. He would have loved to be able to help mentor Snowkit, but it just wasn't a fathomable request at this point.

"I understand, Fireheart," the pale golden tabby meowed sadly. "You're right, it was a foolish request. I'll just speak to Bluestar, in that case. Maybe Yellowfang will be willing to take him on as her apprentice."

"Now, wait a moment," Fireheart interrupted. He wasn't sure if his idea would work, but it was better than nothing. "I didn't say that Snowkit couldn't train to become a warrior at all. It's never been done before, but what would you say if I suggested that we give him multiple mentors instead of just one?"

Speckletail looked at him quizzically, tilting her head to the side. "Multiple mentors? What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I say. Instead of just one cat being responsible for Snowkit's training, there can be three or four warriors who can take on that responsibility. Training a deaf apprentice would be difficult for a single cat to handle, but if multiple worked together to make it work, Snowkit should have a much easier time. And that way, we can also work on helping Snowkit connect with the rest of his Clanmates."

Speckletail stared at him for a few heartbeats. Then, slowly, her eyes began to glow. "You would do that? Really?"

"Really," Fireheart confirmed. "I can't promise that Snowkit will be able to finish his training within a normal amount of time–and even after all is said and done, he still might not be able to function the way that an able warrior could in certain situations. But I can promise that we'll do everything we can to turn him into a warrior."

"Thank you, Fireheart! I knew I could count on you," Speckletail meowed happily.

"No problem," he replied, feeling his fur burn with embarrassment. "I'll just bring my idea over to Bluestar and ask her what she thinks, and then she can help us decide who should be responsible for mentoring Snowkit."

"Why don't I come with you?" the pale tabby queen offered. "After all, it was my idea that you mentor him."

"Good idea," Fireheart agreed. "Come on, we should meet with her before the sunhigh patrol gets back."

Together, the two cats walked across the camp to Bluestar's den beneath the Highrock. As they approached the entrance, Fireheart called out a soft greeting before pushing his way through the curtain of lichen. Speckletail followed in from behind, prompting Bluestar to look up from the mouse she was eating.

"Fireheart, Speckletail," his mother greeted them. "What can I do for you?"

It was Speckletail who spoke up first. "I want Snowkit to receive a warrior's training," the golden tabby meowed. "I'm getting too old to have kits. He'll be the last litter I have before I join the elders, and I want him to be able to serve his Clan."

Bluestar looked at the queen sympathetically. "Speckletail," she began quietly. "Do you know what you're asking for? You're asking the Clan to train a deaf kit, something that has never been done before. And if it has, it was so long ago that no one remembers when it happened or how it was accomplished. I understand that you want your son to become a warrior, but think about how much work it's going to take. Our warriors are already busy enough without having to take on such a burden."

"I know it's a lot to ask for," Speckletail meowed quickly. "But Fireheart came up with a suggestion that he wanted to bring to you."

"I can speak for myself, thanks," Fireheart muttered irritably. To Bluestar, he added, "I was thinking that instead of having only one mentor, there can be multiple cats responsible for Snowkit's training. That way, the task can be split up among the Clan instead of being dumped onto a single cat. And it would help out with getting Snowkit to connect with the rest of his Clanmates. After all, if we're going to train him as a warrior, it isn't fair to ask him to risk his life for a Clan that can't or won't communicate with him."

To Fireheart's relief, his mother was looking thoughtful. "That could work," she meowed slowly. "But perhaps instead of only a few warriors, the entire Clan can be responsible for Snowkit's training. After all, everyone needs to learn how to be able to communicate with him, so everyone might as well help out."

"Sounds good to me," Fireheart agreed. "Maybe the warriors can be responsible for the actual training–so anything related to battle and hunting strategies–and the queens and elders can work on developing and teaching the Clan signals that they can use to speak with him."

"What do you say, Speckletail?" the blue-gray molly asked. "Does that idea work for you?"

Speckletail was purring almost too hard to speak, but she managed to reply, "It's perfect, Bluestar."

As he took in the gratitude in the older warrior's eyes, Fireheart felt a thrill of excitement run through him. Of course, he wasn't a medicine cat and therefore couldn't see the future, so he had no idea if their plan would work. Yet somehow, he couldn't help but think that everything would turn out exactly as it was meant to be.

* * *

**Snowkit is going to become an apprentice! And this time, everyone is going to help out with his training. The poor boy deserved better. **

**Cinderpaw will receive her warrior name as well–very soon, I might add. Maybe in the next chapter? We shall see...**

**Responses to a few reviews: **

**dave: Squirrelkit is definitely her father's little girl! Fireheart doesn't like having to punish his kids, but he'll do it if he has to. Just make sure to avoid looking them in the eye while you're doing it...**

**Pkk: She really is, lol. Poor thing. She doesn't mean any harm, of course, but she's at an age where she's old enough to understand that Tigerclaw is a piece of shit and Bramblekit and Tawnykit are his children, but not quite old enough to understand how hurtful the connotations behind having Bramblekit pretend to be his father are. Her thinking is literally just "I want someone to pretend to be Tigerclaw, you look like him, perfect match!" But she's learning. **

**Spongekit36: Without giving too much away, I will say that Bramble x Squirrel won't be a pairing in this series, but neither will Ash x Squirrel. I've already chosen another mate for Brambles, and I'm working on figuring out who to pair Squirrel and Ash with. **

**Thanks for reading! **

**-TheShadowedWarrior**


	14. Fire

Fireheart watched from the top of a tree as Cinderpaw stalked a mouse burrowing through some leaves beside a nearby bush. The dark gray molly padded forward, her movements swift and silent as she approached her prey. Before the mouse could sense that anything was amiss, she pounced, killing it with a sharp bite to the neck. Once she was done, she set her mouse down and scraped a bit of dirt over it to take back to the camp later.

"Well done, Cinderpaw," Fireheart meowed, jumping down from his branch. "That was an excellent catch."

"Thanks, Fireheart!" Cinderpaw meowed happily. "Do I need to catch anything else?"

"No need," Fireheart replied, bending down to pick up his apprentice's mouse. "I've seen all that I need to see. You've passed your assessment. Congratulations."

"Great!" The little gray molly's tail shot up excitedly. "So what's next? Am I going to take another assessment? Or do I get to have my warrior ceremony now?"

"This was your final hunting assessment," Fireheart answered. "But I still want to assess your battle skills one last time before I ask Bluestar to hold your ceremony."

"Oh, okay," Cinderpaw meowed, obviously not bothered by having to wait a little longer to earn her warrior name. "Are we going to do the battle assessment now?"

Fireheart glanced up at the darkening sky. "Not today," he decided. "You've already been out almost all day, and we need to take your catch back to the camp. We'll hold it tomorrow at sunhigh instead."

Cinderpaw nodded, and together the two cats headed back to the ThunderClan camp, pausing along the way to pick up the rest of the prey she had gathered. Fireheart felt a stab of pride as he looked at all the fresh-kill his apprentice had managed to catch: two squirrels, one vole, and three mice. The Clan would be eating well that night.

As they entered the camp, they were met by Longtail, who was walking towards the fresh-kill pile. The pale tabby, who had finally been let off his punishment just days before, paused and glanced over at Cinderpaw. His eyes widened when he saw the prey dangling from the young molly's jaws.

"Did she really catch that all by herself?" he asked.

"Oh, yes," Fireheart confirmed.

Longtail dipped his head. "Well done," the pale tabby meowed.

Ever since Longtail's punishment had ended three days ago, the change the Clan had seen in the warrior had been unbelievable. No longer did he feel the need to insult Fireheart or any of his other Clanmates at every turn. He was courteous, he was helpful, and he seemed to have an affinity for dealing with the kits. The best moment of all had been when he apologized to Swiftrunner for abandoning his training. Longtail had told him that he had only been frustrated and embarrassed and took it out on him.

"Not that it excuses anything," he had added quickly.

Swiftrunner had assured his former mentor that there were no hard feelings and that everything was forgiven. The rest of the Clan was just relieved that there wouldn't be any more drama between them anymore.

Fireheart picked up a rabbit and walked across the camp to Bluestar's den. Calling out a soft greeting, he pushed his way through the curtain of lichen. His mother looked up as he entered, her eyes filling with warmth when she saw him. He settled himself down beside her, feeling her muzzle brush gently over his forehead.

"How are you, Fireheart?" Bluestar asked. Fireheart noted that her tone seemed almost sad.

"I'm fine," he replied, setting the rabbit down in between them. "Cinderpaw did well on her hunting assessment today."

"I'm glad to hear it," Bluestar murmured, and although she seemed genuinely proud, there was still a note of unhappiness in her voice. Fireheart frowned slightly, wondering what was bothering his mother.

"Is everything okay?" he asked worriedly. The blue-gray molly blinked.

"Oh–yes, everything's fine," she answered quickly. "Don't worry about me, Fireheart. I've just been overthinking as usual."

"About what?" Fireheart prompted.

"Just your typical Clan business. Nothing that you need to worry yourself over," the blue-furred molly meowed. She shook her head slightly and continued, "Actually, I went to visit the nursery while you were out with Cinderpaw. Your kits are quite entertaining, I must say. Squirrelkit told me about a dream she had concerning a flying rabbit, catmint, and a few kittypets."

Fireheart let out a chuckle. "She definitely has the most imagination of the four of them," he agreed. "StarClan save whoever ends up becoming her mentor."

"I wonder where she gets it from," Bluestar meowed, giving Fireheart an exaggerated musing look.

"Hey! I wasn't _that _bad!" the flame-pelted warrior protested.

"Of course, not," Bluestar agreed. Fireheart smirked in triumph until she added, "You were _much _worse."

Fireheart made a face at his mother, who rolled her eyes and gave him an affectionate shove. Trying to play into her soft spot, he rested his head against her shoulder. She began licking his ears gently, but he could still feel the same sense of melancholy rolling off her in waves.

"You've grown so much," she murmured. Her voice was so low that Fireheart almost didn't catch what she had said. He looked at Bluestar in confusion, wondering what had prompted such a remark from the ThunderClan leader.

"I still remember watching you chase leaves when you were just a tiny kit," Bluestar purred, her eyes soft with reminiscence. "You were always so happy...although you did have a habit of getting into trouble. Did you know that you tried to call a Clan meeting from the Highrock once?"

"Did I?" Fireheart asked with a laugh, imagining himself as a kit, clambering on top of the Highrock. "I'll bet that was a sight to see."

"It certainly was," Bluestar agreed fondly. "Although, you ended up getting scared and refused to come back down, so I had to go up and get you myself."

"What's with all the nostalgia anyway?" Fireheart asked, casting his mother a sideways glance.

Bluestar blinked. "Oh–it's nothing, really," she meowed hastily. "It's just that sometimes, seeing the queens and their kits...I can't help but feel as if–"

She broke off abruptly, turning her head towards the wall on the opposite side of the den. Trying to distract her from whatever thoughts were brewing in her mind, Fireheart gently nudged the rabbit in her direction.

"Here," he meowed. "I didn't bring this rabbit to decorate your den, you know."

Bluestar gave a purr of thanks and licked him swiftly over his ears before taking a bite out of the rabbit. Fireheart waited until she'd eaten her fill before taking the rest for himself. Once he was done, he stretched his paws out in front of him and rested his head on them, feeling drowsy with contentment. With his duties as a mentor and Clan deputy, it wasn't often that he got a chance to spend time relaxing with his mother, and he made sure to take every opportunity to do so.

He wasn't entirely aware of falling asleep, but sometime later, the flame-pelted tom found himself blinking his eyes open sleepily. At once, he could tell that there was something wrong. Something was releasing a horrid stench from somewhere outside that made the insides of his nostrils sting like fury. There was still quite a bit of light coming from outside, which didn't make sense as it had been past sunset when he first came to visit Bluestar. Blinking his eyes in confusion, Fireheart stood up and padded out of Bluestar's den, careful not to accidentally step on the ThunderClan leader on his way out.

At once, he understood what was going on. The light he had seen had not been sunlight as he'd originally thought. There was a bright orange blaze illuminating the trees beyond the ThunderClan camp. The air was thick, making Fireheart cough as he took a few tentative steps forward.

There was something odd about the strange orange glow, something almost familiar.

He squinted, trying to get a better glimpse. And suddenly, just like that, he remembered.

Long evenings spent sitting beside it with his owners, watching as the Twoleg kits burned those strange soft, white treats they liked to eat so much. The way it heated his fur until he was sure it would be seared right off his back. The stinging sensation it left in his eyes whenever he looked at it for just a few heartbeats too long.

That smell...

He knew what it was now. Of course. It was so obvious, he couldn't believe it had taken him this long to figure it out.

The smell of...

_Fire! _


	15. Fleeing The Camp

"Fire! The forest is on fire!" Fireheart yowled, racing back into Bluestar's den. "Bluestar, wake up! The forest is on fire!"

The ThunderClan leader stepped outside, giving a cry of alarm when she saw the orange inferno. Fireheart didn't stop to see if she was going to give him any orders before rushing off to wake the rest of the Clan. There wasn't any time to stop and discuss escape strategies now. If they waited any longer, they were going to be burned alive.

He ran over to the nursery first, shouting his alarm to wake the queens. Sandstorm was the first to wake, followed by Speckletail, Goldenflower, and Willowpelt. All four queens immediately began ushering their kits out of the nursery as quickly as possible. Satisfied that they had everything under control, Fireheart continued on his way towards the warriors' den. He repeated the same process until he had successfully woken up every cat in the camp, then turned and raced back over to his mother near the gorse tunnel.

"Is that everyone?" Bluestar asked. Fireheart nodded. "Very well, then. Everyone, follow me!"

Together, the Clan raced out of the camp, heading towards the top of the ravine. As they fled the camp, Fireheart couldn't help wondering what had caused the fire. He knew that the Twolegs liked to set up little fires in the woods sometimes, but none of the patrols had reported seeing too many of them in the forest lately. Besides that, they usually seemed to be fairly cautious when playing with their little fires.

_Maybe someone decided to play a joke? _he mused to himself.

A mewl interrupted the flame-pelted warrior's thoughts. Spinning around, Fireheart saw Speckletail struggling up the ravine with Snowkit clutched firmly in her jaws, squirming and crying out in fear. Not even StarClan themselves could make Speckletail let go of her son, but he knew that if they didn't hurry up, they were going to be left behind. Quickly, Fireheart rushed over to the queen's side and took her kit from her, licking his head comfortingly to soothe him. Speckletail flashed him a grateful glance before picking up her pace until she caught up with the other nursery queens.

"Where will we go?" Dustpelt called out.

"We'll try the river. The fire won't be able to reach us there," Bluestar replied. "We'll just have to hope that RiverClan will be in a hospitable mood."

"How will we get across? None of us know how to swim!" Dappletail, an aged, once-pretty tortoiseshell, exclaimed.

"I know. But it's the best option we have," Bluestar meowed grimly. "We'll just have to hope that StarClan is feeling merciful."

Fireheart thought it was a little too late for that, seeing as their home was currently going up in flames. However, he refrained from voicing his thoughts out loud. The last thing he needed to do was distress his already-frightened Clanmates even more. Squirrelkit and Rainkit were pressed up against his legs, their tiny bodies shaking with fear. A few paces in front of him, he could see Sandstorm with Redkit grasped in her jaws and Spotkit huddled against her. Despite the danger they were in, Fireheart felt a surge of relief in knowing that his kits and mate were all accounted for.

He wasn't entirely sure how they managed it, but eventually, the Clan made it to the edge of the river. As soon as they arrived, however, they were forced to confront the issue of their lack of swimming knowledge. Fireheart had seen his old Twoleg's kits playing in the river a few times, but he suspected that his Clanmates wouldn't be too keen on the idea of being told to swim like a Twoleg. Anyway, he wasn't even sure if it was possible to swim that way, not to mention the elders and kits would never make it across.

"Is everyone here?" Bluestar called out.

There were a few coughs before Goldenflower called out, "We're all here, Bluestar!"

"Good," the blue-gray molly meowed, turning her attention back towards the river. "We'll set off in groups of three. Dappletail, Runningwind, and Mousefur, you three will cross first. Longtail, Frostfur, and Smallear, you'll be next."

The six cats nodded and headed off into the swiftly churning water. Dappletail was being supported by Runningwind and Mousefur, who were working their paws furiously in an attempt to get across to the opposite bank. They were followed closely behind by Longtail and Frostfur, with Smallear being held up between them.

"Goldenflower, you and your kits will cross next. Swiftrunner, help carry one of her kits," Bluestar ordered. The black and white warrior nodded, picking up Tawnykit in his jaws and climbing into the river beside his mother and half-brother. "Brightheart, Brackenfur, and Patchpelt, you three go after them."

"Bluestar..." Brightheart whispered sadly, looking at the unmoving form of Patchpelt lying on the edge of the riverbank. "I don't think Patchpelt is going to be making it across."

Yellowfang looked to Bluestar, who nodded and flicked with her tail for the medicine cat to check on the elder. The old gray molly stepped forward, sniffing at Patchpelt's unsettlingly still flank. Fireheart didn't need to see her shake her head to know the truth: the old tom was dead.

"He's already gone," Yellowfang rasped. "His lungs were too weak to handle the smoke."

Bluestar closed her eyes for a moment, and Fireheart could feel grief rolling off her in waves. Then she opened her eyes again, a calm, almost stern expression in their blue depths.

"Leave him for now," she meowed finally. "We'll get the rest of the elders, queens, and kits across first. One of the remaining warriors can carry Patchpelt's body over." Turning to the waiting warriors, she continued, "Thornclaw, Dustpelt, and One-eye, you three are our next group. Ravenflight, Halftail, and Whitestorm follow after them."

As the next two groups of cats sank themselves into the dark, swirling river, Fireheart turned his attention to Sandstorm and his own kits. It was going to be quite a task getting all of them across, especially since the other queens all had kits of their own to take care of. As if that wasn't enough, he also had to worry about how to get Cinderpaw across the river. Out of all the things he'd planned to work her injury around, swimming lessons was not one of them.

"Right," he meowed finally. "Squirrelkit, come with me. Sandstorm, take Redkit. Rainkit, Spotkit, wait for us here. We'll come back and fetch you as soon as we get your siblings to the other side."

"But I don't want to stay here alone!" Spotkit wailed. "It's scary!"

"I'm sorry, Spotkit, but we can't carry two kits at once. Crossing the river is already dangerous enough on its own," Fireheart meowed gently.

"But what if you don't come back?" Rainkit whimpered.

"We _will _be back. We promise," Sandstorm meowed, giving her daughter a comforting lick over her ears. Rainkit just whimpered again, pressing herself against her mother's leg.

"Need some help?"

At the sound of the voice, Fireheart spun around and nearly jumped out of his fur in shock. Mistyfoot and Stonefur, his two older half-siblings, were standing less than two tail-lengths away from him, their fur dripping from their swim across the river. Bluestar had noticed her two older kits as well, and there was an expression of clear pain and longing in her eyes.

"We'll help get you and your kits across," Stonefur meowed to Fireheart. "Mistyfoot can take the little molly–Rainkit, did you say her name was? And I'll take the tom."

"Thank you," Fireheart meowed gratefully. Stonefur nodded and beckoned for Fireheart and Sandstorm to follow him and Mistyfoot into the river.

_Here goes nothing, _he thought grimly. Taking a deep breath, he adjusted his grip on Squirrelkit's scruff and plunged into the river.

Fireheart gasped as he hit the icy-cold water, nearly knocking the breath out of him. For a moment, he almost felt as though he had forgotten how to move until a mewl from Squirrelkit jerked him back to reality. Tilting his head upward to keep his daughter's body from touching the water, Fireheart began churning his paws frantically, trying to get to the other side as fast as possible.

Yet no matter how hard he tried, he didn't seem to be making any progress. The river was cold, dark, and deep, and he was beginning to tire from trying to keep Squirrelkit above the water. He wasn't going to be able to go on much longer. Fireheart kept his paws moving, but with each passing heartbeat, he could feel himself sinking lower and lower.

_No! I'm not dying here! _Fireheart thought desperately. _Especially not with Squirrelkit!_

Then suddenly, as though StarClan had heard his prayers, he found himself being lifted back above the surface of the water. Gasping for breath, he glanced to the side to see a blue-gray shape supporting him. At first, he thought it was Mistyfoot, but a closer look revealed that his savior was actually his mother.

"Mama?" Fireheart whispered through a mouthful of fluffy ginger kit fur.

"You're doing just fine, Fireheart. Keep your head above the water and keep your paws moving," Bluestar murmured gently.

"I can't," Fireheart gasped. "It's too cold. My limbs are going numb."

"Yes, you _can_. You're almost there already," his mother meowed encouragingly. "And I'll be right here."

Fireheart took a deep breath and, despite every muscle in his body screeching in protest, began to work his paws even harder. Every stroke felt as though his bones were being crushed and his fur felt heavy and waterlogged. Slowly but surely, however, he began to inch his way towards the RiverClan bank.

"There you go, that's it," Bluestar murmured. Fireheart wondered how she was managing so well in the river but didn't bother asking. "You're almost there, Fireheart. Just a little bit further."

After what felt like several freezing cold seasons, Fireheart was finally able to pull himself onto the opposite shore. He placed Squirrelkit down at Sandstorm's paws before collapsing gracelessly onto his stomach, gasping for breath (whether from fear or exhaustion, he wasn't entirely sure).

"Are you okay?" Sandstorm asked worriedly, checking him over for injuries. Fireheart was too worn out to protest.

"I'm okay now," he murmured. "But I'll be happy if I never have to cross another river as long as I live after today."

Fireheart turned and rested his head tiredly against his mother's shoulder as Mistyfoot and Stonefur helped the rest of the Clan across the river. The fire was still burning strongly, and he could only thank StarClan that everyone had made it to the riverbank. Well, everyone except for Patchpelt, but at least his body wasn't going to be left to burn amongst what was left of the forest.

Their home was gone, the entire Clan was ill, shell-shocked, and probably injured, and they were stuck seeking refuge in an enemy camp. And to think that just a few hours ago, he had been arranging Cinderpaw's final warrior assessment.


	16. Searching For Distractions

Now that the Clan was safe in RiverClan territory, Fireheart was forced to confront another issue. At the present time, Graystripe was standing less than a fox-length away from him, talking animatedly with Silverstream and his mother, Willowpelt. Two kits frolicked at his paws, and Fireheart assumed they were his children, Featherkit and Stormkit. As he watched out of the corner of his eye, Willowpelt's own litter, Sorrelkit, Rainkit, and Sootkit, bounded over to meet their older half-brother.

"Who's Willowpelt talking to?" Squirrelkit piped up from beside Fireheart.

"That's Graystripe and Silverstream. Graystripe used to be a member of ThunderClan, but he left shortly before you were born. Silverstream is his mate," Fireheart told his daughter. "I suppose Willowpelt must have wanted to meet her grandchildren."

"Wait, why did Graystripe leave ThunderClan?" Spotkit asked, tilting his head back in confusion. "Does that mean he's a traitor?"

"Well..." Fireheart trailed off, unsure how to respond. The honest answer was "yes", but he knew better than to say that with Graystripe and his family in earshot. "Technically, yes. He did betray his Clan. But sometimes, there comes a time when a cat must choose between loyalty to his Clan and following his heart. Graystripe's heart told him that he belonged in RiverClan with Silverstream, and that's something we all need to accept. RiverClan has gained two fine, healthy kits and Graystripe gets to watch them grow up and be a family with his mate. Perhaps this is how things were always meant to be."

"Does anyone ever miss him?" Rainkit asked.

"I'm sure Willowpelt does," Fireheart replied. "He's still her son, even if he did take a mate from another Clan. But I can't say the rest of the Clan thinks about him too much. We're too busy as it is...and most warriors don't take it kindly when another betrays their own Clan."

"Putting it lightly," Sandstorm added, and he chuckled.

"Putting it lightly," he agreed.

"Can we go talk to them?" Redkit asked hopefully.

"I don't see why not," Sandstorm agreed, and their four kits let out a cheer. "I'll come with you–I don't want any of you getting into trouble. Coming, Fireheart?"

However, just because Fireheart had mostly forgiven Graystripe didn't mean he had any intention of joining _that _little party. "Sorry Sandstorm, maybe another time. I need to speak to Bluestar and ask if there's anything she wants me to take care of," he answered.

"Well, alright. I'll tell them you said hi, in that case," Sandstorm meowed, turning and padding off to join the others. The kits bounded after her, practically skipping with excitement at the prospect of getting to meet a RiverClan cat.

Before anyone could notice him, Fireheart turned and made his escape. Bluestar was standing near the edge of the RiverClan camp, talking with Mistyfoot and Stonefur. Thanking StarClan that luck was on his side for once, he padded over to join his mother and his two older half-siblings. Bluestar gave a welcoming purr when she saw him, and Mistyfoot and Stonefur dipped their heads politely.

"Fireheart," his mother greeted him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I've just escaped–er, I mean, I've just seen Graystripe and Silverstream talking to Willowpelt," Fireheart replied, and Bluestar's whiskers twitched in amusement. "The kits wanted to meet him, so Sandstorm took them over to say hi."

"Your kits look strong and healthy, Fireheart," Stonefur meowed. "Especially that little Squirrelkit."

"Thank you," Fireheart replied graciously. "And yes, she is. She's certainly the most rambunctious of the group as well."

"How long until they're apprenticed?" Mistyfoot asked curiously.

Fireheart thought for a few heartbeats. "Two moons, maybe?" he guessed. "I've lost track of time lately, to be quite honest."

"Busy times?" the blue-furred RiverClan queen asked sympathetically.

"You could say that," he answered. "So, what about you? How are things here in RiverClan?"

"Well, no one enjoys the heat, but we're managing well," Stonefur meowed. "Unfortunately, the Twolegs like to play in the river during this season, which scares all the fish away. We had a small problem with the river being poisoned, but it seems to have been sorted out now."

"Blackclaw died after he ate a poisoned fish," Mistyfoot added. Fireheart nodded, having already heard this story from Graystripe.

"Serves him right, if you ask me," her brother meowed coldly.

Fireheart was startled to hear Stonefur speaking that way about a former Clanmate. While he could certainly understand disliking a Clanmate, he could never imagine thinking that anyone deserved to _die_. His shock must have shown on his face, for the gray tom quickly explained himself.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't say things like that," he apologized. "But Blackclaw...well, he wasn't exactly the most agreeable cat in the forest. No one in RiverClan really liked him all that much. Crookedstar asked Graystripe to teach us how to hunt on land when it became clear that the fish weren't any good, but Blackclaw refused the teachings. He said that if Graystripe wanted to hunt on land, then he should go back to ThunderClan where he belongs and that he would die before he ate a single piece of land prey. Well, not even three days later, he ate that poisoned fish and died...so in a way, he got exactly what he asked for."

"Pride cometh before the fall," Bluestar meowed.

"Are you quoting someone?" Fireheart asked, turning his attention to his mother.

"I am, how did you guess?" she inquired.

"Because you're not clever enough to come up with that on your own," he replied cheekily. Bluestar's jaw dropped in mock indignation as Mistyfoot and Stonefur snorted with laughter. Before she could respond, he turned back to Stonefur again. "Speaking of which, how did the Clan react when Graystripe showed up?"

"More or less how you would expect," the RiverClan warrior answered. "A lot of the Clan was furious at Silverstream for betraying her Clanmates–Blackclaw even suggested that she be exiled–but Crookedstar let her off pretty easy since she's his daughter."

"But I bet she was forgiven eventually, right?" Fireheart meowed.

"Eventually," Mistyfoot replied. "And most of the Clan has gotten used to Graystripe being around as well. But I think a few cats are still waiting for him to change his mind and run back to ThunderClan."

They continued talking for a little while longer. Eventually, a steady rain began to fall, putting out the last of the fire. Mistyfoot and Stonefur excused themselves and went to speak with Leopardfur, who was discussing something with a RiverClan warrior whom Fireheart didn't recognize. Bluestar nudged him with her tail and beckoned for him to walk with her, which he did so with a final glance at his half-siblings.

"One-eye and Smallear are dead," she murmured. "The smoke from the fire and the swim across the river was too much for them to handle. Yellowfang and Mudfur did everything they could, but it was too late."

Fireheart exhaled slowly. "That's a shame," he meowed. "They were good Clanmates. I know Rainkit loved hearing One-eye's stories."

"They'll be watching over us in StarClan," Bluestar reminded him. "And in the meantime, we should be grateful that we haven't lost anyone else. Rebuilding the camp is going to be a long process, and we're going to need all the warriors we can get."

"That's true," Fireheart agreed, letting out a sigh at the thought of the heavy workload that awaited them when they returned back to their own territory. Of course, it had to be done, but that didn't mean he was looking forward to it. Deciding to change the subject, he continued, "So, what were you talking to Mistyfoot and Stonefur about before I got there?"

"Various subjects," Bluestar answered, twitching her ear. "Actually, Mistyfoot was telling me about her own kits. She has four little ones of her own, just like you and Sandstorm."

"Really?" Fireheart asked interestedly. "What are their names?"

"Perchkit, Reedkit, Pikekit, and Primrosekit, I believe," the blue-gray molly replied, furrowing her brow thoughtfully. "They're still very young, so they're taking a nap in the nursery right now–one of the other RiverClan queens is looking after them right now–but Mistyfoot told me that she needed to stretch her legs."

"I don't blame her," Fireheart laughed. "Really, I don't know how queens can stand being stuck in the nursery for so long. I think I'd lose my mind."

"Well, every queen misses being able to hunt and fight for her Clan," Bluestar admitted. She cast him a fond look and added, "But having kits makes up for it. Being a parent is a gift not everyone gets the chance to experience, and most take full advantage of the opportunity when it's presented to them."

"Most cats do," the flame-pelted warrior agreed, thinking of the two exceptions he knew of, Thistleclaw and Tigerclaw. "Speaking of which, well...Whitestorm is your sister's son, right? And Thistleclaw is his father."

"That's right," Bluestar meowed, looking as though she wasn't entirely sure where he was heading with his query.

"Well...how did Snowfur end up with someone like Thistleclaw?" Fireheart asked.

Bluestar just shook her head. "Your guess is as good as mine, Fireheart. I've been asking myself the same thing ever since I was an apprentice."

Fireheart tried to imagine Thistleclaw as a young apprentice, eager to learn how to hunt and fight in order to serve his Clan. Somehow, the task was proving to be nearly impossible. It was clear that Whitestorm took after Snowfur in terms of personality, even though he had his father's large, muscular body. Their eyes were the same as well–the exact same shape and shade of yellow, in fact.

_Kind of like Bramblekit, _he thought to himself. The dark tabby was a carbon copy of his father, Tigerclaw, yet his personality reminded Fireheart mostly of Goldenflower.

"Looks like Mistyfoot's kits have woken up," Bluestar noted.

Glancing over to the side, Fireheart saw that his mother was right. Mistyfoot was standing outside what he assumed was the RiverClan nursery, four kits rolling about by her paws. Two of them were dark brown, while another was a lighter, more cream-colored brown and the fourth was a mottled dark gray tom. Looking at the two dark brown kits, Fireheart was reminded vividly of the RiverClan warrior Loudbelly; perhaps he was their father.

"Maybe Mistyfoot will let us meet them," the ThunderClan leader meowed, her eyes glowing with warmth at the prospect of getting to meet her grandchildren. "Do you want to come, Fireheart? They're your kin as well, even if no one knows it."

Fireheart thought for a few moments. "Sure, why not?" he agreed. _It beats sitting around and worrying about what we'll do when we get back home, at any rate. _

Brushing aside his thoughts, he followed Bluestar over to the RiverClan nursery, ready to meet his nieces and nephews.

* * *

**So yes, Mistyfoot's kits still exist in this AU, but Blackclaw is no longer their father. And yes, everyone in RiverClan hated him and no one misses him because screw him. Fireheart's family just keeps growing and growing, doesn't it? **

**Silverstream is still alive because there was literally no point to her death in canon except to give Graystripe and Crookedstar angst. Also, I like to headcanon that Mapleshade didn't actually curse Crookedstar and that he was always going to be extremely unfortunate. I think I might have mentioned that already, though. **

**I decided to kill off One-eye because the only role she played after this point was teaching Fireheart/star the proper ceremony for renaming a warrior, and since no one is going to be named Lostface in this series, that particular scene doesn't need to happen. I also decided to kill off Smallear because I hate him (if you've read the first series of Warriors, you can probably guess why). **

**Now to respond to a few reviews: **

**Kitty-Guardian Hootryd: The main reason I took that out was that I didn't feel it was consistent with Goldenflower's character. Considering how protective she was of Bramblestar and Tawnypelt, it didn't seem like it would be in her nature to flat-out LOSE one of them during literally the most dangerous moment in their lives at the time. Bluestar being in a healthy state of mind and being able to direct her Clan also helped matters. **

**Shadowwolf1997: Well, they talked a bit in this chapter, even though their conversation wasn't really given any screentime. **

**scarlett quagmire: Glad you enjoyed! **

**Thanks for reading! **

**-TheShadowedWarrior**


	17. Departure

Eventually, the fire had been completely extinguished, and it was time for the ThunderClan cats to return to their own territory. Graystripe watched as Bluestar spoke to Leopardfur, politely thanking the RiverClan deputy for her hospitality. He couldn't quite make out what was being said, but he saw Leopardfur's eyes narrow in an almost calculating manner. There was no doubt that she would seek repayment for her generosity later.

Then Graystripe turned his attention to the far side of the camp. Fireheart was standing with Sandstorm, Dustpelt, and Ravenflight, watching his kits scampering about. Even from this distance, it was easy to see the family resemblance. Squirrelkit was almost an exact copy of her father, Spotkit looked just like Sandstorm's mother, Brindleface, and Redkit had his mother's pale ginger fur. The only one that confused Graystripe was Rainkit, practically a carbon copy of Bluestar. There was almost no way they _couldn't _be kin, but Bluestar wasn't related to Sandstorm or Fireheart...was she?

As he watched, Dustpelt meowed something to Fireheart, who responded with a good-natured shove. Despite himself, Graystripe was unable to suppress a pang of envy. Although he had been a RiverClan warrior for several moons, it still felt as though he were walking on thin ice around his new Clanmates. It was clear that some of them were still waiting for him to make a mistake, to give away even the slightest indication that he was still loyal to ThunderClan. The fact that one of those cats was Leopardfur didn't make matters any easier. Meanwhile, Fireheart was had a loving mate and kits, two good friends, and the support of his Clanmates. If he had any reason to miss his old friendship with the gray warrior, Graystripe certainly couldn't see it.

"You know, you could always just go up to him and say hi," Silverstream meowed, padding up to his side. "It's not like he's going to claw your fur off in front of both our Clans."

"I don't know," Graystripe meowed hesitantly. Earlier that day, Sandstorm and their kits had come to speak with him and Silverstream, but Fireheart had shied away. The gray tabby warrior suspected that while his old Clanmate may have gotten over the bitterness of their parting, he still had no intention of rekindling any sort of relationship with him. In a way, it stung, but it wasn't as though he had any right to complain.

"Come on, you probably won't get another chance for a while unless Leopardfur and Crookedstar decide to let you go to Gatherings," his mate coaxed. "They're going to be leaving soon. Now's as good a time as ever if there's anything you want to say to him. And don't tell me that you don't want to talk to him, because you've been staring at him the whole time he and his Clan have been here."

"I...well, alright," Graystripe acquiesced.

Slowly, he walked across the camp over to where Fireheart and his family and friends stood. As he approached, the ThunderClan cats turned to look at him, their expressions ranging from cold indifference to guarded curiosity. Graystripe walked up to Fireheart and dipped his head respectfully, receiving a polite nod in return.

"Graystripe," the ThunderClan deputy greeted him. "You're looking well."

"I am, thank you," he replied.

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Fireheart asked. His tone, although not exactly what one would call unfriendly, held none of the easygoing warmth that the flame-colored warrior had once afforded him.

"Well, no, not really," Graystripe admitted, shuffling his paws. Fireheart's demeanor was making him oddly nervous, something that he never would have expected from his old friend. "I just, er, wanted to know how things are in ThunderClan, I guess."

"Oh." Now Fireheart looked puzzled, as though he couldn't figure out why Graystripe would be asking such a question. "Well, things are just fine, now that you ask. Of course, they were better before the fire, but that will be fixed eventually. We'll go home and repair the damage to our camp, and we'll be back to strength in no time."

The gray warrior nodded. "I know you will," he meowed. "And, er...your kits look strong and healthy."

"Thank you," Fireheart replied, his whiskers twitching with amusement. "But they can get a little difficult to manage at times, there being four of them and all. So, I take it the two little ones I saw earlier must have been yours?"

"They are," Graystripe replied, unable to suppress a note of pride from entering his voice. "Stormkit is the dark gray tom and Featherkit is the silver tabby. Silverstream certainly has her paws full taking care of them."

"They certainly look like they'll make fine warriors one day," Dustpelt remarked. "I suppose they must take after their mother."

Graystripe winced at the thinly-veiled insult. He glanced over at Fireheart to see if he was going to reprimand Dustpelt, but the ThunderClan deputy remained silent. Feeling strangely bitter and disappointed, he turned to speak to Sandstorm next.

"How long until your kits are apprenticed?" he inquired.

"Two moons," the pale ginger queen replied shortly.

"Well, if they're anything like you, I'm sure they'll make fine warriors themselves," Graystripe meowed out of spite. He looked over at Fireheart again, but if the flame-pelted warrior was at all bothered by what he had said, he gave no indication of it. It was painfully obvious now that Fireheart no longer held his opinion in any sort of esteem. He was genuinely indifferent. Graystripe might as well have been talking about his favorite rock for all the interest his former friend was showing him.

"Thank you," Sandstorm meowed back, her pale green eyes narrowed. She had clearly seen through his attempt to get back at her mate for not defending him. "But Fireheart deserves credit as well. He's done a wonderful job helping me raise them, and I couldn't ask for a better father for my kits."

"O-of course," Graystripe stammered awkwardly.

"Why thank you, Sandstorm," Fireheart chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "I'm glad to know my performance as a parent has been up to standard."

"Naturally," Sandstorm replied, almost haughtily. "I knew all along that you would make a perfect father. Why do you think I chose you to be my mate?"

"Is that the only reason? And here I thought it was because of my amazing wit and charm."

"Sure, Fireheart. Keep telling yourself that."

"Oh, I absolutely will."

Graystripe stood to the side awkwardly, watching as his former Clanmates laughed and joked. Squirrelkit bounded up to her father and settled herself down on top of his paws. Fireheart bent down to lick his daughter's ears, earning himself a purr of happiness. Even though he had no reason to, the gray warrior felt strangely left out, and he was relieved when Bluestar came over and told Fireheart that it was time to round up the Clan to go back home.

"Alright, Bluestar, I'll be on my way," Fireheart answered. Turning back to Graystripe, he meowed politely, "Until we meet again, may StarClan light your path. Tell your leader that we are grateful to his Clan for offering us shelter."

With that, he turned and walked off with Bluestar to gather up the rest of his Clanmates for their journey back to ThunderClan territory. Sandstorm rounded up their kits and padded after her mate, followed closely by Ravenflight and Dustpelt. Not one of them gave him so much as a nod of farewell as they passed. As he turned to head back towards his own camp, Graystripe was able to pick up on a bit of Fireheart and Bluestar's conversation.

"So, what did Graystripe want with you?" the blue-gray molly asked.

"Oh, it wasn't anything important," Fireheart replied dismissively. "He just wanted to wish us well on our journey back home, that's all. Oh, and to know how things are in ThunderClan, I suppose."

"And what did you tell him?"

"I told him that we were fine and to thank Crookedstar for his hospitality," the flame-colored tom answered. "Don't worry, Bluestar. I'm not about to start befriending Graystripe anytime soon. I might have forgiven him for betraying us, but he's still an enemy warrior now, and I'm going to treat him as such."

_He's still an enemy warrior now. _

Graystripe turned and walked away, not wanting to hear any more. It wasn't as though he missed Fireheart or his life in ThunderClan, of course. He had a family in RiverClan to make up for that void. But he had hoped that his old friend would still care for him somewhat. However, it was obvious that was not the case. His friendship with Fireheart was a thing of the past now, and it was clear that the ThunderClan deputy felt no regret over the loss at all.


	18. Awkward Relationships

Despite the destruction the fire had caused to their territory, Fireheart found himself strangely oblivious to the scorched trees and fire-burned clearings. Even the lack of prey wasn't enough to snap him back to reality. Instead, his mind was on his conversation with Graystripe back in the RiverClan camp. He had done his best to avoid his former friend while they were staying in RiverClan territory, but Graystripe had chosen to seek him out himself. Had it not been obvious that he wasn't interested in having a conversation?

_What was he playing at? _Fireheart wondered. They had only spoken once in the time since the gray warrior had left for RiverClan, and he had made it clear that he wasn't interested in striking up a friendship again. Not only that, but they hadn't exactly parted ways on good terms either. What exactly had motivated Graystripe to try to speak to him now?

In another life, Fireheart might have thought that his former friend missed his life in ThunderClan and wanted to return home. However, there was no reason for him to feel that way. Most of his former Clanmates didn't think anything of him, and he had a family in RiverClan to take care of now. Featherkit and Stormkit adored their parents, and it was easy to see how much Silverstream loved him. There was no reason for Graystripe to want to come back to ThunderClan, and there was even less of a reason for him to make small talk with Fireheart.

So what exactly had he been up to?

Admittedly, when Graystripe had come over to talk to him, he had behaved rather coldly. But in his defense, what else was he supposed to do? They hadn't spoken as friends in moons, and in fact, had parted ways as mutual enemies. He had betrayed his friends and his Clanmates for a RiverClan queen, he had attacked Fireheart in the middle of the camp, he had taunted him after Cinderpaw was injured, and not once did he show any sort of remorse over his actions. Now all of a sudden, Graystripe wanted to make small talk with him as though nothing had happened. Who did he think he was? How dare he?

If Graystripe had only apologized for his behavior, then Fireheart might have been willing to be a little more friendly towards him. However, it was painfully obvious that he still didn't think he'd done anything wrong. Expecting an apology from the gray warrior would be about as useful as waiting for the sun to stop rising.

And granted, maybe he should have corrected Dustpelt's behavior when he insulted Graystripe, but Fireheart couldn't bring himself to care at this point. He wasn't friends with the gray tabby anymore, and he saw no reason to defend him now. Graystripe was a warrior; he could take care of himself. There was no need for Fireheart to protect him, especially since he was an enemy warrior. It wouldn't look good for the deputy of a Clan to side with an enemy warrior over his own Clanmates.

Honestly, he wasn't even sure how to behave around Graystripe at this point. What did one say to a former Clanmate after several moons of mutual dislike and resentment?

"Is everything alright, Fireheart?" Sandstorm asked, padding up to walk beside him.

"Hm? Oh, everything's fine," he meowed, flicking his tail. "I was just thinking about what happened with Graystripe earlier, I guess. I'm just...I mean, I honestly don't know what he was thinking, trying to make small talk like that."

"Well, it has been several moons since he left. Maybe he wants to put everything that happened between him and us in the past," Sandstorm pointed out.

Fireheart snorted. "_He _has no right to make that decision," he retorted sharply. "He's the one who was in the wrong. It's not his place to decide whether it's time to make amends or not."

"I know, Fireheart, but Graystripe probably doesn't realize that. You know how he is," Sandstorm replied patiently. Fireheart nodded. "He never thinks that he's done anything wrong because somehow, he finds a way to justify every bad decision he makes."

It was a harsh assessment, but Fireheart knew that the pale ginger queen had a point. Graystripe had never been one to take responsibility for his own actions. Every mistake he made was always someone else's fault, and if he couldn't pin the blame on another cat, he would find a way to blame them for pushing him to that point. And on the rare occasion that he was forced to take full responsibility for his actions, he always found a way to claim that things weren't as bad as everyone was making them out to be.

"I am happy that he's found a family in RiverClan, of course," he meowed after a while. "But that doesn't mean that I'm interested in befriending him again. He made his choice, and I'm fine with it. Things were going great until he decided to try to step into my life again."

"That's probably going to be something you'll have to put up with for a while," Sandstorm meowed. "But you're not obligated to be friendly to him. You may not have been as friendly with him as you used to be, but to be fair, who would be? Graystripe will just have to get used to the fact that he isn't one of your best friends anymore."

"You're right," Fireheart agreed, letting out a sigh. "Thanks, Sandstorm."

"Anytime," Sandstorm purred gently, licking his cheek.

Perhaps one day, Graystripe would finally apologize for his actions that had brought about the end of their friendship. Until that day came, however, Fireheart was perfectly content to continue their newfound relationship of distant respect. He certainly didn't hate his former Clanmate or wish ill on him, but they were not friends anymore and he saw no reason to change that.

In a way, he did regret the way things had turned out. If Graystripe hadn't fallen into the river that day or if Silverstream hadn't been the one to save him, the gray warrior could have mentored Brackenfur alongside Fireheart, Ravenflight, and Sandstorm and their apprentices, just as he was meant to do. He could have been the one to give Brackenfur's final assessment, and he could have gotten to help Willowpelt and Whitestorm raise Sootkit, Rainkit, and Sorrelkit instead of having to meet them from the position of a rival Clan member. They could have still been friends, and Graystripe could have been a loyal warrior that ThunderClan could be proud of.

Now, however, it was too late for that. The past was in the past, and there was nothing anyone could do to change it. If Graystripe could only learn to take a hint once in a while, it would make everything a lot easier.

* * *

**Two chapters in one day? Gasp! It's a miracle! Side note, updates will probably slow down for a bit since I'm starting school tomorrow. College life, yay. **

**Responses to a few reviews: **

**Muzzicat: First of all, I'd just like to make it clear that his personality in this series isn't the same as it is in canon. Echoing Flames Fireheart isn't overly friendly, even to warriors from his own Clan, and he usually prefers to treat enemy warriors with nothing more than basic respect, which is how he spoke to Graystripe. **

**On top of that, Fireheart still holds a lot of resentment over how his friendship with Graystripe ended. He did his best to be a good friend, and even after he found out that Graystripe was seeing Silverstream behind everyone's backs, he was nice enough to give him a chance to correct his behavior on his own. But instead of being grateful or taking the opportunity to correct his mistakes, Graystripe turned on him and started acting like a total asshole. Fireheart (and the rest of the gang as well) even took Brackenpaw/fur out while Graystripe was off breaking the warrior code, even though they were under no obligation to do so. Yet Graystripe never once showed any sort of gratitude, and now he's trying to make small talk with Fireheart as though nothing happened. It's infuriating. The fact that Fireheart made it clear that he wasn't interested in talking to him in the first place doesn't help matters. **

**If Graystripe had apologized for his behavior or at least done something to acknowledge the trouble he caused his former Clan, Fireheart would have been a lot more friendly towards him. At the moment, however, all he sees is a traitor who, even after all this time, still refuses to take responsibility for his mistakes. He's happy that Graystripe has a family now, but having one of your best friends turn their back on you isn't something you're likely to just get over. **

**draconic skysong: To be honest, Graystripe is probably one of my least favorite characters purely because of how much he got away with. I do like Silverstream, but I liked her better before she became Graystripe's mate (even though we only saw one scene when she was just a normal RiverClan warrior and not one half of an illicit relationship). Millie, on the other hand...eh, I won't talk about her. **

**Thanks for reading!**

**-TheShadowedWarrior**


	19. A New Shadow

Although Fireheart would have preferred to start rebuilding the camp right away, unfortunately, that was not to be. Almost as soon as they arrived back at the ThunderClan camp, it was time to decide which cats would be attending that night's Gathering. Fireheart cursed the moon's timing under his breath; it was just their luck that there should be a Gathering one night after their home had been destroyed.

Shaking his head to himself, the flame-pelted deputy padded over to where Bluestar was sitting with Whitestorm and Yellowfang. She glanced over at him as he approached, gently touching her nose to his forehead in greeting.

"Fireheart," the blue-gray molly meowed. "What can I do for you?"

"I was just wondering which cats you wanted to take to the Gathering tonight," Fireheart answered.

"Ah." Bluestar shook her head. "With all the excitement that's happened, I haven't found the time to decide who to choose, I'm afraid."

"I can stay back," Whitestorm spoke up. "I'll help guard the camp while you and Fireheart are away."

Bluestar dipped her head in thanks to her nephew as Yellowfang rasped, "I will stay here as well. I want to tend to the elders and make sure they aren't still feeling the effects of the fire."

"Brightheart, Swiftrunner, Thornclaw, and Brackenfur should be allowed to go," Fireheart suggested. "It's going to be their first Gathering as warriors, and I'm sure they'd like to be there when their new names are announced. And Fernpaw and Ashpaw can go as well."

"What about Cinderpaw?" Bluestar asked curiously.

Fireheart shook his head. "Cinderpaw went to the last Gathering, and besides, I was planning to take her out for her final assessment tomorrow. I don't want her to tire herself out by going to the Gathering."

"Understandable," his mother meowed. "Well, I don't think we should take too many others with us. If Tigerclaw or any of his followers happen to be in the area, they'll have seen the fire and they'll know our Clan is vulnerable. I don't want them getting any ideas. We'll take one more warrior with us, and the rest of the Clan can work on rebuilding the camp. Whitestorm, you choose one more warrior to join you on guard duty."

"Very well, Bluestar," Whitestorm agreed, bowing his head respectfully.

"Who should the last warrior be?" Fireheart asked.

"We'll take Longtail," Bluestar decided. "I think he's earned it."

Fireheart nodded in agreement. "So we'll take Longtail, Brightheart, Brackenfur, Thornclaw, Swiftrunner, Fernpaw, and Ashpaw with us," he meowed, and Bluestar nodded. "Alright, I'll go inform them before I talk to Cinderpaw about her assessment tomorrow."

He turned and padded over to the rest of the Clan and quickly announced the names of the cats who had been chosen to attend the Gathering. It was an honor to be selected, but Fireheart noticed that the cats who hadn't been chosen didn't look too disappointed. Then again, he supposed there were more important things to worry about at the moment.

"Cinderpaw," Fireheart meowed, padding up to his apprentice. She looked up from the shrew she was sharing with Fernpaw and purred.

"Hi, Fireheart," she meowed cheerfully. "Do you need me to do something for you?"

"That's alright, Cinderpaw. I was just going to inform you that we'll be holding your assessment tomorrow," he replied. Cinderpaw's eyes lit up.

"Great!" she meowed excitedly. "What time is it going to be?"

Fireheart thought for a few moments, then replied, "We'll hold it at sunhigh. Make sure you get some sleep tonight. I know we're going to be busy with repairs, but I don't want you falling asleep during your assessment tomorrow."

Cinderpaw nodded vigorously. "I will, Fireheart. And I promise I'll do really well on my assessment."

"I know you will," he purred, giving her a gentle lick over the ears.

Perhaps planning a warrior assessment right after the forest had been burnt to the ground wasn't one of his better ideas, but, Fireheart told himself, the Clan needed some good news. Besides, it wouldn't be fair to make Cinderpaw wait when she'd already had to watch her littermates become warriors before her just because their camp needed repairing. The sooner life moved on, the better, and her warrior assessment would be the start of that.

* * *

Later that evening, Fireheart and Bluestar rounded up the Gathering patrol and headed out, nodding to Whitestorm and Frostfur as they exited the camp. The forest was still utterly silent, and the ginger tom couldn't help wondering when and if the prey would return to their land. They had a fair amount in the fresh-kill pile, but it would turn into crowfood before long.

"Will things ever look the same?" he murmured, almost to himself. Bluestar brushed her tail against his side, obviously having heard what he'd said.

"If our territory can survive a flood, it can recover from a fire," she meowed gently. "Have faith, Fireheart. ThunderClan will be just fine."

"You know, Twolegs keep little fires in their homes. But somehow, their nests never get destroyed," Fireheart meowed, half-absentmindedly. "I'll never understand how they manage that. Or why they would keep fires in their homes in the first place."

"I think we established long ago that Twolegs are insane and their motives are impossible to understand," Bluestar remarked dryly.

By the time they arrived at Fourtrees, RiverClan and WindClan had already arrived. Bluestar went to join Tallstar and Crookedstar on top of the Great Rock, her sharp blue eyes gazing at the throng of warriors beneath her. Longtail went off to go talk to a few RiverClan warriors, while Brightheart, Brackenfur, Thornclaw, and Swiftrunner went to speak to Onewhisker and Tornear. Fernpaw and Ashpaw stayed close to Fireheart, their eyes wide.

"You know, you don't have to stick by me," he told them, unable to keep a note of amusement out of his voice. "This is a time to get to know your neighbors. Why don't you go talk to those WindClan apprentices over there?"

"O-okay, Fireheart," Fernpaw replied meekly. Together, she and Ashpaw went over to join Webpaw and Whitepaw. The two WindClan apprentices nodded in welcome, and Fireheart saw Fernpaw and Ashpaw relax visibly.

"Fireheart." At the sound of Mistyfoot's voice, he turned to see her and Stonefur approaching him. "How are you? Did your Clan make it back home?"

"We did, thank you," Fireheart replied politely. "And we're doing just fine, all things considered."

"We're glad to hear it," Stonefur meowed, sounding as though he meant it. "Fire threatens all the Clans. It's important that we unite to prevent any Clan from being destroyed by such a tragedy."

Fireheart dipped his head in respect to the RiverClan warrior. Stonefur was a noble warrior, and he was proud to have him as an older half-brother. It was easy to see where he had gotten it from as well, although of course, that wasn't to say he had anything against Oakheart. However, he had never been given the chance to meet the former RiverClan deputy, so he couldn't form much of an opinion on him.

Meowing a quick farewell to Mistyfoot and Stonefur, Fireheart turned and went over to join Longtail, who was sitting by himself now. The pale tabby dipped his head respectfully to him as he approached, and Fireheart nodded in return.

"Any sign of ShadowClan?" Longtail inquired.

"Not yet," Fireheart admitted, wondering what was taking them so long.

"You don't think that sickness destroyed their Clan, do you?" the pale tabby asked.

Fireheart shook his head. "Runningnose is a skilled medicine cat, and besides, StarClan wouldn't allow an entire Clan to be wiped out just like that," he meowed, echoing Bluestar's words to him. "I'm sure they've found a cure by now. After all, something has to work eventually. They'll be here shortly, I'm sure of it."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a familiar scent hit their nostrils. Fireheart and Longtail turned to see a patrol of ShadowClan warriors descending into the clearing. He felt a pang of relief at the sight of them–until he spotted, at the end of the line, a familiar dark gray tabby. His fur was a bit matted now and he had lost weight, but there was no mistaking those yellow eyes.

"Is that who I think it is?" Longtail asked, his eyes wide with disbelief. "What's Darkstripe doing here?"

"I don't know," Fireheart murmured, staring at his former Clanmate. "Let's go talk to him. I want to find out what's going on."

The two warriors stood up and walked over to where Darkstripe was sitting at the edge of the clearing. He turned and glanced over at them as they approached, his eyes registering shock for a brief moment before his face twisted into a cold sneer.

"Well, well. I never hoped I'd see you so soon, Longtail," Darkstripe meowed mockingly. "Is this who you choose to associate yourself with these days? A weak, puny kittypet? I'm amazed, Longtail, I never thought even you would sink so low. You really should have come with us when you were given the chance."

"What are you doing here, Darkstripe?" Longtail asked aggressively, lashing his tail. "The Gathering is for Clan cats only. You're a rogue; you have no place here."

"Oh, but I'm not a rogue anymore," the dark gray tabby purred. "Didn't you hear the news? I'm the new deputy of ShadowClan."

"_You?_" Fireheart asked in disbelief. "Don't make me laugh. What sort of leader would ever choose _you _for Clan deputy?"

Not even two heartbeats later, however, he had his answer. A hiss of mingled shock and fury sounded from the top of the Great Rock, and Fireheart snapped his head around to see what had happened. His heart dropped. Standing in between Crookestar and Bluestar was an all-too-familiar dark brown tabby, his amber eyes gleaming with cold triumph.

* * *

** That's a wrap for the fourth arc! I'll be starting Echoing Flames: A Dangerous Path in the next few days or so. Side note, I've also got plans for another fanfic that takes place within the Bluestar's Prophecy timeline. If you've seen my Tumblr, you probably know which one I'm talking about. **

**So yes, Tigerclaw still becomes the leader of ShadowClan. Everything will be explained in the next arc, so I won't spoil anything for now. Fireheart is probably going to start trying to learn how to maim a cat with his eyes; this asshole tried to murder his mother. **

**Cinderpaw is going to become a warrior! Slight spoiler alert, I have planned to give her a different suffix. **

**Darkstripe is the new deputy of ShadowClan because why not. **

**Thanks for reading! **

**-TheShadowedWarrior**


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